Another Journalist Goes Missing in Mexico

The disappearance of journalist Stephania Cardoso and her two-year old son on Friday, June 8 in Saltillo, Mexico is another illustration of the perilous environment for journalists in Mexico. Freedom House calls on the federal attorney’s office in its investigation to thoroughly examine the circumstances surrounding their disappearance.

Over the past three years, Cardoso worked for local newspaper Zócalo de Saltillo, where she covered police activities. Cardoso was last seen on the evening of Thursday, June 7, returning home from an event to commemorate Freedom of Expression Day in Mexico. She was unreachable on Friday morning – her car was missing and she did not show up to work. Relatives found no signs of Cardoso or her son in Cardoso’s home, but did find that the house was ransacked and her camera was destroyed. The federal attorney’s office opened an investigation into her disappearance and the national ombudsman has been in touch with the family.

Freedom House continues to call on authorities to take immediate action to prevent further violence and to ensure that legislation and mechanisms currently in place are effective in protecting journalists.

Mexico is one of only four countries in Latin America rated “Not Free” in Freedom House’s 2012 survey, Freedom of the Press, and is ranked “Partly Free” in Freedom in the World 2012 and Freedom on the Net 2011. Over the past five months, there has been an escalation of attacks on journalists in Mexico. Last month, journalist Marco Antonio Avila was found dead one day after he was kidnapped. Avila was the fifth journalist killed in the month of May --  all five journalists reported on matters relating to police and organized crime.

Learn More:
Freedom in the World 2011: Mexico
Freedom of the Press 2011: Mexico
Freedom on the Net 2011: Mexico
Journalists Need Better Protection in Mexico