Mexico: Assassination Attempt on Journalist María Luisa Estrada Hernández
Authorities previously denied protection, stating threats against Estrada not serious enough
Location: Mexico, Guadalajara
Date: July 15, 2023
Credit: MCI
Journalist María Luisa Estrada Hernández escapes an assassination attempt in Guadalajara after authorities refuse to protect her. The reporter received 200 death threats for her work, but the Attorney General’s Office deemed them not serious enough to offer her protection. Mexico remains the deadliest place in the world to be a journalist. There have been seven murders of press workers so far in 2023. The Coalition For Women In Journalism is appalled authorities refused to provide protection to Estrada, leading to the shocking attempt on her life. We demand immediate protection for her and her family.
On July 15, journalist María Luisa Estrada Hernández and her daughter narrowly escaped a targeted shooting attack. Driving along Guadalajara's Javier Mina Avenue, a white van abruptly cut off their car. Next, a gunman emerged, unleashing a barrage of gunfire aimed directly at the journalist's vehicle. The journalist and her daughter managed to escape the ordeal unharmed.
A Guadalajara police officer told Estrada after reporting the incident that the attack was a warning message to take down her independent media outlet La Grillotina Política.
Ahead of the attempt on Estrada’s life, the Attorney General's Office (FGR) dismissed her protection requests. They deemed it irrelevant due to a lack of physical harm, despite possessing evidence of over 200 threats against her life.
"I was not given the opportunity to present the evidence or discuss the investigation," Estrada says about the lack of support.
“I was not given the opportunity to present the evidence or discuss the investigation”
Journalists operate in an extremely dangerous environment in Mexico. On the same day Estrada was targeted, journalist Nelson Matus Peña was murdered in Guerrero. He was the second journalist killed that week.
In 2022, journalist Lourdes Maldonado López was brutally murdered, having previously expressed fears for her life and reaching out to President López Obrador for help. The mounting toll on journalists continues unabated, with seven lives lost in 2023 alone while authorities struggle to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Estrada is one of the lucky few who managed to escape the attempt on her life. Fellow motorists quickly rescued her by moving their vehicles and blocking the journalist's car from the shooter's view, allowing the journalist and her daughter to flee unharmed.
Protection Mechanisms
The attempt on Estrada’s life highlights the state's failure to address the threats against journalists.
Both the federal government and states have established protection mechanisms to safeguard journalists. However, these mechanisms have been marred by significant flaws, failing to meet the urgent protection needs of journalists adequately. Insufficient funding and a staff shortage have delayed providing crucial assistance. The escalating number of journalists seeking protection has overwhelmed the limited resources available.
These shortcomings highlight the urgent need to improve protection mechanisms for journalists and human rights defenders in Mexico. Adequate funding, increased staffing, and better coordination among different levels of government are crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of those at risk.
Luisa Estrada has raised issues related to the Mechanism for the Protection of Journalists and the increase in missing persons in Jalisco on various occasions at President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's morning conferences.
The recent shooting incident targeting María Luisa Estrada is a stark reminder of the perilous environment journalists face in Mexico. Urgent action is needed to ensure their safety and hold those who seek to silence the press accountable. Without swift and comprehensive reforms, the freedom of the press will continue to erode and more journalists will die. The Coalition For Women In Journalism strongly urges the Mexican government to provide Luisa Estrada with the protection she needs.
The Coalition For Women In Journalism is a global organization of support for women journalists. The CFWIJ pioneered mentorship for mid-career women journalists across several countries around the world and is the first organization to focus on the status of free press for women journalists. We thoroughly document cases of any form of abuse against women in any part of the globe. Our system of individuals and organizations brings together the experience and mentorship necessary to help female career journalists navigate the industry. Our goal is to help develop a strong mechanism where women journalists can work safely and thrive.
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