JOURNALISM ANDTRUTHUNDERFIREINMEXICO

Awarontruthis claiming more casualties in Mexico than in any other country. Thirteen journalists have beenkilledin Mexico in the last nine months,four in January alone, two inTijuana justsixdays apart For years,more journalists have beenkilledin Mexico than in any other nationon Earth,according to data fromtheCommitteeto Protect Journalists No nation has more journalistdeaths inthe past five years.Only war-tornSyriahas more in thepast decade.Since2011, 95 percent ofthecasesof journalists killedare unsolved.

Thekillingoffour Mexican journalistsin January— each with historiesof reporting on violentdrug cartels or government corruption orboth— was only thelatest chance forthe nation’s leaders to reckonwiththis.Reporter José

Luis GamboaArenas was stabbed atleast seven times in Veracruzon Jan. 10, then three others were shot to deathin a spanof two weeks: photojournalistAlfonso Margarito

MartínezEsquivelinTijuana on Jan. 17 online newshost María

Guadalupe Lourdes Maldonado

López inTijuana on Jan. 23, and lawyerand journalistRoberto Toledoin Michoacán on Jan. 31.

Vigils were held in dozens of cities across thenationon Jan.25

Journalismundersiege after Maldonado’s killingand a 2019 videoofher telling PresidentAndrés Manuel López Obrador(AMLO) “I fear for my life”circulated widely. But willtheseunjustdeaths lead to greater protectionsfor journalists and principles of freedom ofthe press freedom of speech andthe powerof truth-telling that they represent? It’s impossible to predict— and hard to beoptimistic.

Adecadeago,the Mexican governmentestablished a program meant to provide protectionsfor journalists and humanrights activ- istswhofacedthreatsof violence.It sounds good providing journalists witha cellphone appthat functions asa “panicbutton,” havingpolice check ontheir homesand relocating them in a differentcity if theyfaced extreme risk But Maldonado was only oneof many journalists killed despite being enrolled in thisprogram.Anddespite thedecade-old program, Mexico remains the most dangerous nationfor journalists.

The consensus is that the governmentlikes the status quo, welcomes journalists feeling constantly intimi- dated, anddoesn’t wantthe spotlight putonlocal, state andfederal officials who are often workingwith the cartelsthatdominate much of the nation.

Nothing suggests otherwise.

AMLO’s hostility to the media rivalsthat ofthe 45th U.S.president. “Who’s Who inThis Week’s Lies”— an excoriation of journalists whose reporting he contends is exaggerated orinvented is a regular feature inhis frequentnews conferences InApril 2019, four months after taking office,AMLO told reporters,“If you gotoo far you know what will happen.” He laterdenied that wasa threat ofphysicalviolence againstthosewhose reporting displeased him,butin a nation where journalistsare killedwith impunity, itsounded like one.

Homicidesandviolent crime in general marthebigger picture that Mexico is a vibrant successstory,a nationonthe rise that has a wealthier, healthier, more educatedmiddle class than ever. But without journalists toexpose official corruption,there is a limit onwhat Mexico can become.Anduntil AMLO andother Mexicanleaders acceptthecrucial role journalists play, anddomore to ensure their safety, more are sure to die.

Es verdad

Mexicoleadsthelistofcountrieswiththehighest countofjournalists killedin2021. According to theCommitteetoProtect Journalists, 45 reporters were killedin21 countrieslastyear. Amonthinto 2022,fourjournalists inMexicohave alreadybeenkilled.

Arctic Ocean

Georgia:1 AleksandreLashkarava,July11

Lebanon:1 LokmanSlim, Feb. 3or4

Canada

United States

Netherlands:1 PeterR.deVries, July15

Azerbaijan:2 SirajAbishov, June4

MaharramIbrahimov, June4

Afghanistan:4 Bismillah AdelAimaq,Jan.1

MinaKhairi,June3

DanishSiddiqui,July 16

Toofan Omar,Aug.8

Greece:1 GiorgosKaraivaz,April9

India:5 SulabhSrivastava,June 13

Chennakeshavalu, Aug.8

ManishKumarSingh, Aug.8-10 Raman Kashyap, Oct.3-4 AvinashJha,Nov. 9-12

Bangladesh:1 Borhan UddinMuzakkir,Feb.20

Mexico:9 BenjamínMoralesHernández,May2-3

Gustavo SánchezCabrera,June 17

SaúlTijerina Rentería,June22

Ricardo DomínguezLópez,July22

JacintoRomeroFlores,Aug.19

ManuelGonzálezReyes,Sept.28

GerardoAntonioMorenoAranda, Oct.4

Fredy FernandoLópezArévalo,Oct.28

AlfredoCardoso Echeverría, Oct.31

Haiti:1 DiegoCharles, June29

Atlantic Ocean

Colombia:1 Marcos EfraínMontalvo, Sept.19

Israelandthe Occupied

Pacific Ocean Pacific Ocean

Palestinian Terrority:1 Yousef AbuHussein,May19

Yemen:1 RashaAbdullahal-Harazi,Nov.9

Burkina Faso:2 DavidBeriain,April26-27

RobertoFraile,April 26-27

Democratic Republic of theCongo:1 JoëlMumbereMusavuli, Aug. 13

Myanmar:2 SoeNaing, Dec. 10-14

SaiWin Aung(A SaiK), Dec. 25

Philippines:3 RenanteCortes, July22

Orlando“Dondon”Dinoy, Oct.30 JesusMalabanan, Dec.8

Ethiopia:2 Dawit KebedeAraya,Jan.19 Sisay Fida,May9

Pakistan:3 AjayLalwani,March18 Shahid Zehri, Oct. 10 Muhammad ZadaAgra,Nov.8

Indian Ocean

Somalia:2 Jamal FarahAdan,March1 AbdiazizMohamudGuled,Nov. 20

Indonesia:1 MaraSalemHarahap,June18

NOTE: Somecity councils have reopened theirmeeting spaces to thepublic Public participationisstillpossible by phone links to the meetings,livestreamingmeetings and/oremailing comments. Visit each agency’s website for details,usually found under“Meetings or “Agendas.”

TEMECULA

The TemeculaCity Council meets at 7 p.m.onthesecond andfourth Tuesdaysof the month.Thenextmeeting is Feb.8 City Councilmeetings are televised live on SpectrumChannel 3 and Frontier FiOS TV Channel 3 and rebroadcastonthefollowing Tuesday Theycan also bestreamed live on TemeculaTV; gototemeculaca.gov/tv. Public commentsmaybesubmitted via email to thecity clerk, randi.johl@temeculaca.gov

HEMET

TheHemetCity Council meetsat 7 p.m.on thesecond andfourth Tuesdaysofthe month.Thenextmeetingis Feb.8.Councilmeetings can beviewed live online athttps:// www.hemetca.gov/816/Council-Chambers---LIVE,orcan be watchedlateronthecity’s YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/user/ thecityofhemet.Public commentsmay be submitted on orbefore2 p.m.onmeeting daysby filling outtheformat https://tinyurl.com/hemetcomments.

LAKEELSINORE

The Lake Elsinore City Councilmeetsat 7 p.m. on the secondand fourth Tuesdaysofthemonth. The next meetingis Feb.8.CityCouncil meetings are televised live onSpectrumChannel29and FrontierChannel 31 They can alsobestreamed online athttp://www.lake-elsinore.org/city-government/ city-council/webcast-videos. Public commentsmaybe submitted via email to calvaraez@lake-elsinore.org.

MENIFEE

The Menifee City Council meetsat 6 p.m onthe first and third Wednesdaysof each month.Thenextmeetingis Feb. 16 Councilmeetings can beviewed onlineat http://menifeeca.iqm2.com/ Citizens/calendar.aspx.Public comments canbesubmitted via email to publiccomments@cityofmenifee.us.

MURRIETA

TheMurrietaCity Council meetsat 6 p.m.onthe first and third Tuesdaysofthe month.Thenextmeetingis Feb. 15 Councilmeetings can beviewed live via the city’s website athttps://www.murrietaca.gov/129/AgendasMinutes-Video oron Facebook Live at www.facebook.com/CityofMurrieta.

PERRIS

ThePerrisCity Council meets at 6:30 p.m on the second andlast Tuesdays of the month.Thenextmeetingis Feb.8. Live and recorded meetings canbeviewed at https://tinyurl.com/perrismeetings. Public comments may beemailed to publiccomment@cityofperris.org.

WILDOMAR

The WildomarCity Councilmeetsat 6:30 p.m.onthe second Wednesday of the month.Thenextmeetingis Feb.9.Councilmeetingscan beviewed live onlineonthe city’s website,cityofwildomar.org,byclickingonthe livestreamlink at the top of the homepage,oronTVon FrontierChannel 36 or AT&TChannel99 Public commentsmay besubmitted viaemail to jmorales@cityofwildomar.org.Agendas and videoscanbeviewed online athttps://tinyurl.com/ wildomar-meetings.

RIVERSIDE

TheBoard ofSupervisorson Jan.25approvedtheRiverside CountyFire Department’s request to attach fire mitigation charges to thetaxbillsofmore than 300property owners who officials say have notpaidthe costof abating weeds andotherpotential fire hazards aroundtheirparcels.

“We have to recover our costs.

We’re nottrying to padour General Fundhere,”SupervisorChuck Washington saidaheadofthe5-0 vote.

According to the fire department, 327property ownersin communities countywideare delinquentand owe a total$178,530 under the county’s Fire Hazard

Reduction Program.Theamounts stem fromactivityin calendar year 2020. The reductionprograminvolvesdeploying contractors to clear weedsand related overgrowththatmightotherwisefuel brush fires duringwildfire season, which generallyspans May to November. Inmostcases,the parcels that were mitigated were vacant, setoff frommain residencesand near roadsthatmightbethreatenedduringwildlandblazes,according to the fire department. Officialssaidpropertyowners were served withorders to abate, or mitigate,thepotential hazards, andwheninspectors receivedno replyorsaw thatnoactionhad beentakenwithin a 30-dayperiod, landscaping contractors were sent to the locationsunder fire departmentauthority to clear awaythe excessfoliage. “ThepurposeoftheFire Hazard ReductionProgramis to reduceor eliminate fire hazardscreated by vegetative growth and the accumulationof combustibledebris,which poses a danger to the health,safety and welfare ofthe residentsinthe vicinityofany real property as wellasirreparable harm to sensitive habitatand species,”according to anagency statement. According to documentsposted to theboard agenda,delinquent propertyowners were billedanywhere from$254 to $3,159perproperty.A $254 administrativefee was alsofoldedinto the final invoices sent to thepropertyowners.