By Ingrid Bachmann
Frank La Rue and Catalinta Botero, special rapporteurs for the United Nations and the Organization of American States, respectively, for freedom of expression, gave their preliminary observations from their official mission to Mexico, warning that the situation in the country was grave, reported BBC Mundo and El Universal.
According to the investigators, Mexico has become the most dangerous country in the Americas to practice journalism, and the problem needs to be tackled by the government, added La Jornada.
La Rue and Botero criticized the general impunity and the lack of government action in the face of organized crime's retaliations against the press. They emphasized the need for more autonomy and resources for the prosecution of crimes against journalists, explained La Crónica de Hoy and the news agency AFP.
The representatives also lamented that they had not been able to meet with Mexican President Felipe Calderón during their two-week visit to the country, reported EFE.
Calling the lack of meeting with the president a "missed opportunity," in an interview with El Universal, Frank La Rue said: “It was a great opportunity for the president to send a message to the press and say, 'I am meeting with these rapporteurs who are watching the issue of protection of journalists, because I want to demonstrate my position and solidarity with the press.'"
Note from the editor: This story was originally published by the Knight Center’s blog Journalism in the Americas, the predecessor of LatAm Journalism Review.
