La Jornada, a leading Mexican newspaper reported the distressing news of their regional correspondent’s death on Saturday. The journalist had been reported missing in the western state of Nayarit a day before the tragic discovery.
La Jornada’s website reported that ‘a body found in the village of Huachines… in the municipality of Tepic was identified as Luis Martin Sanchez Iniguez, 59 years old, correspondent for La Jornada,’
The wife of the journalist, Cecilia Lopez, told investigators that she had no knowledge of his whereabouts since Wednesday night. At that time, she was visiting relatives in another town, according to local authorities cited by the newspaper.
On Saturday morning, the body of Sanchez Iniguez was discovered in a rural area near Tepic, the capital of Nayarit. Unconfirmed reports from local media indicated that he was found wrapped in plastic bags and had a message on his chest.
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Reports indicate that Sanchez was at home on Wednesday night and had a phone discussion with his wife.
Investigators were reportedly told by Lopez that she discovered the clothes her husband had worn on the day she last saw him at their home. She also mentioned that his wallet still contained all his belongings, with the exception of his La Jornada correspondent’s card.
The family also reported that ‘his computer, cell phone, a hard drive and his sandals are missing,’ the newspaper further stated.
Previous incidents have seen La Jornada correspondents becoming targets and losing their lives. This includes the tragic murders of Miroslava Breach in Chihuahua in March 2017 and Javier Valdez, who was both a La Jornada correspondent and a contributor to AFP, in Sinaloa in May of the same year.
The safety of journalists in Mexico is of serious concern, with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranking Mexico as one of the most dangerous countries for journalists globally. Their statistics reveal that over 150 journalists have been victims of murder in Mexico since 2000.
Government statistics reveal that 13 journalists were murdered in Mexico in 2022. The fact that many crimes against journalists remain unresolved highlights a concerning trend of impunity.
