Two More Journalists Killed in Mexico — 12 in 2022

Gunmen shot and killed two journalists in a brazen daylight attack in the state of Veracruz. The murders mark the 11th and 12th of their kind in 2022.

On Monday afternoon, unknown gunmen shot and killed Yessenia Mollinedo Falconi, the director of the online news outlet El Veraz, and her reporter Sheila Johana García Olivera, who were inside a parked sedan near a convenience store in Cosoleacaque.

#ÚLTIMAHORA | ASESINAN A OTRA PERIODISTA Y UNA CAMARÓGRAFA EN VERACRUZ

Acaban de asesinar a Yesenia Mollinedo Falcónido, reportera de El Veraz y a Sheila Johana García Olivera camarógrafa en el municipio de Cosoleacaque, Veracruz

¡Ya basta!

Con ellas ya son ¡12 EN 2022! pic.twitter.com/dS0dU4Fsrc

— Ruido en la Red (@RuidoEnLaRed) May 9, 2022

The Veracruz Attorney General’s Office confirmed the attack and claimed that they would be investigating. Despite official assurances, international press freedom organizations continue to claim that the majority of crimes against journalists remain unsolved. While various groups have conflicting figures, Breitbart Texas documented 12 in 2022 thus far.

La Fiscalía General del Estado informa que se inició carpeta de investigación, ante los lamentables hechos en los que perdieran la vida la directora del portal El Veraz, Yessenia Mollinedo Falconi y la reportera Sheila Johana García Olivera, en el municipio de Cosoleacaque.

— FGE Veracruz (@FGE_Veracruz) May 9, 2022

The murder comes at a time when Mexico has been criticized by the U.S. and the European Union for the growing trend in murders against journalists. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists, Mexico is currently the second deadliest country for media workers behind Ukraine.

#MEXICO: CPJ is shocked by the murder of two reporters in the eastern Mexican state of Veracruz today. Yessenia Mollinedo and Johana García were shot on the parking lot of a convenience store in Cosoleacaque. Authorities must immediately investigate. https://t.co/SaA92mcKyu

— CPJ Américas (@CPJAmericas) May 10, 2022

Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has rebuffed international criticism, claiming that the statements are only attempts at interventionism.

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.