A group of cartel gunmen in Mexico tried to kidnap a Univision reporter just south of the border with Texas. The gunmen intercepted the journalist and took his cell phones, but he managed to escape.
The incident occurred over the weekend near Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas, a border city just south of Roma, Texas, when Francisco Cobos was working on a story for the Primer Impacto show.
According to a news report from Univision, Cobos had a dashboard camera in his vehicle at the time and was able to capture the attempted kidnapping. Gunmen boxed him in, pointed weapons at him, took his phones and wallets, and ordered him to follow them down the road.
Cobos said he identified himself as a journalist with Univision and that he heard on the radio someone tell the gunmen to take him to another location.
As the vehicles made a right turn leading Cobos to that location, he veered left and drove down one of the city’s main avenues toward a military checkpoint. As he drove, Cobos said he heard what sounded like gunshots. He stopped when he reached a military checkpoint and yelled for help at the Mexican soldiers.
The attempted kidnapping comes just one day after authorities in Mexico confirmed the kidnapping and murder of another reporter in central Mexico. According to Proceso, unknown gunmen abducted Roberto Carlos Figueroa, a local journalist, after he dropped off his children at school. By Friday night, authorities found his body inside a vehicle. Gunmen had tried to demand a ransom for his release.
Several international press freedom groups continue to label Mexico as one of the most dangerous places for journalists worldwide. Despite several killings and numerous attacks on the media, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador claims that cartel impunity had ended under his watch.
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.