Mexican journalist is slain south of Mexico City, spurring outrage among colleagues
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican journalists held a vigil and protest Saturday a day after one of their colleagues was slain in the southern state of Morelos.
They demanded a transparent investigation into the case and vented anger over the dangers news workers face in Mexico, which is one of the world’s deadliest countries for journalists.
Dozens joined in the demonstration over the killing of Roberto Figueroa, who covered local politics and gained a social media following through satirical videos. After disappearing Friday morning, he was found dead inside a car in his hometown of Huitzilac in Morelos, a state south of Mexico City where drug-fueled violence runs rampant.
He was the first journalist to be killed this year in Mexico, which is the most dangerous country for journalists in the Western Hemisphere and has the highest number of missing journalists in the world, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a press freedom watchdog.