Sixth Mexican journalist killed in under
Photographer Ricardo Zúñiga was shot dead in Puebla, marking the sixth journalist killed in Mexico in less than three months.
Photographer and content creator Ricardo Zúñiga was shot dead by unknown assailants on Saturday in Tehuitzingo, Puebla. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, this killing marks the sixth murder of a journalist in Mexico in less than three months and the second in Puebla state this summer.
Zúñiga, 35, was attacked inside a business he owned in the town of Santa Cruz Apotoltitlán. News reports state that two attackers approached him, fired multiple rounds, and fled the scene. Zúñiga was hit once and later died in the hospital from his injuries.
CPJ condemns impunity cycle
Jan-Albert Hootsen, CPJ’s Mexico representative, condemned the killing. "The shocking killing of Ricardo Zúñiga continues Mexico’s appalling streak of killings of journalists in rapid succession this Summer and shows the country’s abysmal record of investigating and prosecuting deadly attacks against the press," Hootsen said. He warned that without decisive government action, the cycle of violence and impunity would persist.
Victim's work and prior threats
Ricardo Zúñiga was known locally for his multimedia productions on cultural events, which he shared on social media platforms to an audience of over 13,000 followers. While his work primarily focused on culture, he occasionally posted comments critical of the local municipal government. His criticisms targeted local security policies, garbage collection, and alleged abusive behavior by police.
On May 9, Zúñiga posted on Facebook that he had been threatened by unidentified individuals. They told him to stop posting critical messages and to "stay out of politics."
Official response and investigations
The Committee to Protect Journalists reported that its calls to the Tehuitzingo municipal government for comment went unanswered. Ruth Zenteno, the federal Special Prosecutor for Attention to Crimes Committed against Freedom of Expression (FEADLE), stated that Puebla state authorities had opened an investigation. Her office, which operates under the Federal Attorney General's office, was in contact with them regarding the case. A request for comment sent to the Puebla state prosecutor’s office via messaging app did not receive an immediate reply.
The killing occurred approximately 100 miles southeast of Mexico City.
