Journalism and war on drugs in Mexico

1. Doing journalism in times of trouble. War on drugs and freedom of speech in Mexico By María Elena Meneses Researchassistant: Talía Murillo March 11th 2010 Tecnológico de Monterrey and University of North Carolina and Chapell Hill academicmeeting

2. Mexico: a dangerous place for journalists Mexico is the second most dangerous country for exercising journalism after Iraq. International News Safety Institute, 2009 Christoph Bangert

3. Mexico: a dangerous place for journalists Tele Atlas, Transnavicom, Europa Technologies, 2010

4. Mexico: a dangerous place for journalists Tele Atlas, Transnavicom, Europa Technologies, 2010

5. Drug Trafficking: A Global issue Producers Consumers International distribution networks

6. InternationalDistributionNetworks Heroin Cocaine European Parliament WWW.EUROPARL.EUROPA.EU Marijuana Hashish

7. Drug Trafficking: A Global issue Mexico has fundamentally been a producer and distributor country through the known cartels and criminal organizations. Poppy flower in Guerrero La Jornada, March 2010

8. North America The UN estimates that around 200 000 people a year consume drugs at least once a year. North America consumes the 75% of drugs. David Høgsholt UN and Organization of American States (OAS), 2009

9. A great business

10. A great business Worldwide: 320 billion dollars. Mexico: drug trafficking is worth 19 billion dollars, occupying half a million people. United Nations, 2009

11. A great business Drug trafficking employed 25% more people than What Mc Donald’s did worldwide. Expansión magazine, 2009.

12. A way to obtain a job In 60% of the Mexican municipalities there are people employed in organized crime. Ramón Galindo, Mexican Senator

13. Mexican war on drugs Poverty Lack of opportunities Corruption Impunity Neighborhood with the US Benjamín Flores, 2001

14. President Calderon’s war on drugs More than 30 000 soldiers and policemen US moral and Intelligence support ProcesoFoto2008

15. Mexican cartels New York Times, 2009

16. Consequences 15 thousand deaths More than 7 thousand traffickers captures One big lord Arturo Beltrán Leyva El Universal, 2009

17. Consequences 1 executionevery 65 minutes Violenceclimate in thewhole country MexicanSenate and Center forJournalism and PublicEthics www.cepet.org Reforma, 2009

18. Morelia’s drama Grenade attack, Independence Day, 2008

19. How do criminals use journalists? Proceso foto, 2010

20. Drug messages Proceso foto, 2008

21. Ethical dilemmas To cover or not to cover? If I get a picture… am I an accomplice? Mario Campos, Proceso foto 2004

22. Assassinations of journalists From 2000 to 2009 57 journalists were killed in Mexico Most of them under impunity Trials are opened RSF, 2010

23. 2009 Jean Paul Ibarra, El Correo, murdered on February 13th Luis Daniel Méndez, murdered on February 23th Carlos Ortega, El Tiempo, murdered on May 3th Eliseo Barron, La OpiniónMilenio, kidnapped and murdered on May 26th Martín Miranda, Panorama Radio, murdered on July 12th Ernesto Montañez, Enfoque Magazine, murdered on July 14th Daniel Martínez, Radiorama, murdered on July 27th 12 Mexicanjournalistswerekilled

24. 2009 Norbert Miranda, Radio Visión murdered on September 23th Fabián Ramirez, Magia Radio station, murdered on November 11th Vladimir Antuna, El Tiempo de Durango, murdered on November 2nd José Galindo, Radio Universidad de Guadalajara found death on December 24th José Velázquez, Expresiones de Tulum. Source: Center for Journalism and Public Ethics. www.cepet.org

25. Violations against the freedom of speech 183 journalists suffered from some type of threat or extortion in Mexico. Journalists are victims of Levantones ( express kidnappings) Most of them occured in Chihuahua, Oaxaca, Veracruz, Puebla and Mexico City Source: Center for Journalism and Public Ethics. www.cepet.org

26. Violations against the freedom of speech In oneout of every threeattacks the police forces have been involved… the same forces that guarantee the order in times of organized crime. Proceso foto, 2009

27. Implications for journalism Self-censorship Journalists do not count with reliable sources The official information is the one that flows but it is partial The coverage limits itself to give the list of deaths or traffickers captured

28. Implications for journalism “The confusion is permanent: incessant crimes do not allow to distinguish sides or reasons, the dead bodies pile up each day in the front pages and do not allow to see the forest” MARIA IDALIA GOMEZ Y DARIO FRITZ (Mexican journalists talking about covering drug trafficking)

29. Most violent cities Ciudad Juarez (Mexico) Caracas (Venezuela) New Orleans (USA) Tijuana (Mexico) Bagdad takes the 10th place Source: Citizen Council for Public Security

30. Ethical dilemmas How to inform without being a speaker of the parts involved: the government or the crime?

31. Ethical dilemmas Servando Gomez Martínez “La Tuta” (from La Familia cartel) interviewedby Milenio

32. What has Mexican media done ? Televisa and Excelsior have decided not to record any narcomensaje But other media like Milenio have even interviewed criminals

33. What has Mexican media done ? Others, like Proceso have stopped signing the news stories.

34. What has Mexican media done ? Others have chosen self-censorship March in front of the PGR office in relationtocrimes and agressionstojournalists. Proceso foto December 2009

35. What should journalists do? Spread the news, “as an independent monitor of any type of power”. Take care of themselves and media should provide them with training. Journalists should be responsible in their coverage. Take a field camp notebook, have a close relationship with their editor –to whom they must inform of all their steps. Also gather with sources in public places.

36. What should journalists do? A journalist is not the prosecutor, he is just a translator that explains and helps understand the complex reality of society. Reports, statistics and sources’ testimonies should be confronted. Using leaks it’s OK, but through an accurate verification.

37. What Society needs to know… Authorities corruption Army, policemen and politicians Money laundry Impunity Conflict of interest

38. The case of Colombia To move journalists from zones of risk to safer ones. Provide training in the coverage of organized crime. Give life insurances and protection to family members of the journalists at risk. Lower the number of assassinations through intelligence reports. Plan Antonio Nariño

39. Thankyou María Elena Meneses Former TV journalist Professor and researcher at Tecnológico de Monterrey marmenes@itesm.mx twitter@marmenes My blog: http://enmediostec.blogspot.com/ Talía Murillo Monroy Journalismstudent at Tecnológico de Monterrey Assistantproducer at MVS Noticias chuleton@gmail.com

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