Fourth Mexican Journalist in Three Weeks Killed by Gunmen

A group of three gunmen shot and killed an online journalist in western Mexico marking the fourth murder of its kind in less than one month. The murder follows threats to the journalist and his colleagues for “exposing corrupt politicians.”

The attack took place on Monday in the town of Zitacuaro, Michoacan, where a group of gunmen killed 59-year-old Roberto Toledo, a journalist with Monitor Michoacan. The gunmen also shot up the news building which doubled as a law firm.

News director Armando Linares took to social media in a short statement where he confirmed the murder of his journalist adding that they had been the target of numerous threats for exposing corrupt politicians.

“I can only tell his family that this will not end like this,” Linares said claiming that they would be continuing their work.

El @GobiernoMX condena el asesinato del periodista Roberto Toledo del portal Monitor Michoacán. Trabajaremos en conjunto con el gobierno estatal y municipal para esclarecer el caso; no permitiremos la impunidad. Defendamos la libertad de expresión y el derecho a la información.

— Jesús Ramírez Cuevas (@JesusRCuevas) January 31, 2022

After initially condemning Toledo’s murder on social media, Jesus Ramirez Cuevas, a spokesman of Mexico’s Presidential Office, sent a second message claiming that Toledo did not work as a journalist and was a legal assistant.

De acuerdo con investigaciones judiciales, el C. Roberto Toledo asesinado el día de hoy, se desempeñaba como auxiliar de un despacho de abogados, no como periodista. Condenamos este crimen. Ningún ser humano debe ser privado de su vida. Nuestras condolencias a familares y amigos. https://t.co/bIDe3eNo4m

— Jesús Ramírez Cuevas (@JesusRCuevas) February 1, 2022

Toledo’s murder comes at the end of a month that saw the murder of three other journalists in Mexico, whose killings remain unpunished. As Breitbart Texas reported, on January 23, unknown gunmen shot and killed Lourdes Maldonado outside of her home in Tijuana, Baja California. Maldonado has personally asked for help from Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador claiming she feared for her life after having a court battle with a former governor that hailed from the same party as the president.

Her murder came just days before a gunman shot and killed Margarito Martinez, a renowned photojournalist who had worked with several international news outlets in the past. Martinez has previously sought government protection after being the target of threats.

On January 15, authorities confirmed the stabbing murder of Jose Luis Gamboa in Veracruz.

Toledo’s murder comes at a time when two main criminal organizations, Cartel Jalisco New Generation and Carteles Unidos (made up of smaller organizations including La Familia Michoacana) continue to wage a fierce turf war for control of Michoacan. That turf war led to numerous murders and forced disappearances. Public officials in that state have a long history of supporting both criminal organizations at different times.

Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com. 

Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.