One of the main news outlets in the Mexican border state of Chihuahua has shut down its operations after the murder of one of its journalists, multiple threats, and the complete lack of security conditions.
On Sunday, Oscar Cantu Murgia, the director for El Norte De Cd. Juarez announced that after 27 years in print, the publication is going silent. The print and online news outlet is one of the publications that the late Miroslava Breach worked for.
As Breitbart Texas reported, Breach was one of three Mexican journalists gunned down last month. The well-respected journalist had helped uncover the close relations between Mexican politicians and a faction of the Juarez Cartel called “La Linea”. At the scene of Breach’s murder, the gunmen left a banner signed by the leader of La Linea, Carlos Arturo “El 80” Quintana. The kingpin is listed as a wanted fugitive by the U.S. Department of Justice on multiple drug trafficking and money laundering charges tied to the Juarez Cartel.
“This day, my dear reader I am informing you that I have taken the decision to close this news outlet due to the fact that among other things, there are no security conditions or guarantees for the exercise of a press that is critical and provides counterpoints,” Cantu Murgia wrote in his Sunday editorial.
The farewell piece criticized the local, state, and federal government of Mexico for its corrupt practices. Cantu Murgia stated that he did not want any more of his staff members to pay the stiff price asked of them.
As Breitbart Texas reported, even after Breach’s murder, attacks on journalists continue to be commonplace in Mexico. Just days after Breach’s murder, gunmen in the states of Veracruz and in Baja California attacked two other journalists. Both survived the attack, however, authorities have not been able to capture anyone tied to any of the attacks.
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded the Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and Stephen K. Bannon. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook.
Brandon Darby is managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
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