Specialists call to recognize journalistic work in electoral matters

Specialists and journalists agreed that criminal violence in different parts of the country affects the practice of journalism and electoral processes.

Within the framework of the International Forum on Journalism and Electoral Integrity, organized by the National Electoral Institute (INE), counselor Martín Faz Mora mentioned that, in recent years, Mexico remains one of the most dangerous countries to practice journalism.

When moderating the second panel of the International Forum, entitled Elections, violence and the exercise of journalism in Mexico, Faz Mora recalled that in all electoral processes coordination tables are installed with all public security instances.

Sandra Ley called for recognition that without journalistic work, “today we would not be able to carry out accountability work that is essential in these contexts. If something is missing in Mexico, she lamented, it is true data that is obtained thanks to courageous journalism, but at a high cost.

Héctor de Mauleón pointed out that, according to Reporters Without Borders, in the country there are “seven zones of silence where we cannot know what is happening; reporters stopped reporting, some media stopped appearing; there are reporters kidnapped, beaten, displaced, murdered”, among other attacks.

For her part, Sandra Romandía described four threats to journalism in the country: the first, an industry facing a global economic crisis; the second, “the insult that we are experiencing now in Mexico from the presidential trenches”; the third, the lack of universities that train and update the journalistic union and, the fourth, “the climate of impunity, aggressions and violence” against the communicators.

jorge.monroy@eleconomista.mx