Proceso Journalist Murdered: Third Veracruz Reporter Killed in 1 Year

Associated Press

VERACRUZ, Mexico—The body of a correspondent for leading Mexican newsmagazine Proceso was found inside her home in Veracruz state Saturday, and authorities think the journalist, who often wrote about drug trafficking, was murdered.

Regina Martinez's body was found by police inside the bathroom of her home in the state capital, Xalapa, and there were signs of heavy "blows to her face and body," the state's Attorney General's Office said in a statement. Authorities said initial evidence suggested she died of asphyxiation.

Ms. Martinez was the Xalapa correspondent for Proceso, one of Mexico's oldest and most respected investigative newsmagazines, and she often wrote about drug cartels in the area.

Authorities provided no possible motive for her killing. But recently Veracruz has been plagued by cartel violence, some of it between the powerful Zetas and the so-called Jalisco Cartel New Generation, which is believed to be linked to the Sinaloa cartel. The coastal state is also on a human trafficking route north to the United States.

Veracruz Gov. Javier Duarte has ordered an exhaustive investigation into her death, the statement said.

Police found Ms. Martinez's body after receiving a tip from a neighbor that her house had been left open since early in the day.

In the past year, at least three journalists have been found dead in Veracruz, including Ms. Martinez.

In July 2011, a reporter on police matters with the newspaper Notiver, Yolando Ordaz de la Cruz, was found with her throat cut.

A month earlier, gunmen killed Miguel Angel Lopez Velasco, a columnist and deputy editor with Notiver. He was shot together with his wife and one of his children.

Media watchdogs considered Mexico one of the most dangerous countries in which to be a journalist.

 There is disagreement on the number of journalist killings. Mexico's national human rights commission says 74 were slain from 2000 to 2011. The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists says 51 were killed in that time.

Photo Credit: Of Ms. Martinez-LaJornada,  Of Crime scene Proceso

Note: The following are the last articles written by Ms. Martinez and published yesterday.   Possible motive?  Proseco reported that Ms. Martinez was a victim of a recent burglary:

Last published by Regina Martinez Apro agency 'Proceso' 

"Attorney investigates the death of the coordinator of the Fas in Veracruz" (article #1)

Regina Martinez Xalapa, Veracruz, April 27 (approved). - The Attorney General of the State (PGJE) investigates the cause of death of the regional coordinator of the Social FA (FAS), Rogelio Martinez Cruz, which occurred last Thursday 26. The  Former leader of PRD in Veracruz  was found dead in his home, located on the Colonia Puente Roto at the port of Veracruz,   where agents of the Ministerio Publico came to testify to the facts. Following the ministerial diligence,  the body was taken to the Forensic Medical Service, for submission to an autopsy.

Without even knowing the autopsy result, authorities ventured to give a first report in the sense that Martinez Cruz "died of natural causes." This first assessment is at odds with the current version of federal deputy candidate by the coalition "Progressive Movement", Uriel Flores Aguayo, who said family members and witnesses revealed that the house of the leader of FAS "was in disarray" and that personal belongings were missing from the victim.  While lamenting the death of his partner, Flores Aguayo  called on the authorities to make a thorough investigation of the facts……Link to full article

"Nine policemen linked with drug traffickers in Veracruz”  (Article #2)

Regina Martinez Xalapa, Veracruz, April 27 (approved). - Elements of the Secretaría de Marina Armada de Mexico (Semar) arrested nine policemen of the municipality of Tres Valles, for alleged links to organized crime, pursuant to a warrant drawn by the Attorney General of the state (PGJ). In a coordinated effort among law enforcement agencies participating in the program Veracruz Seguro, in the early hours today was carried out the arrest of the officers of the municipality of Tres Valles, whose president (mayor)  is Carlos Alberto Córdova Morales PAN.

This gave effect to a warrant-ministerial investigation 76/2012- against members of the local police unit, who were made available to appropriate authorities, according to the PGJ. The preventive arrest of the Tres Valles, a town located in the Papaloapan, came a day after troops of the Marina and the Mexican Army arrested Maria Teresa Gonzalez Sanchez, identified as the “Comandante  Tere”, who along with a group of sicarios attacked elements of the Municipal Police of Tierra Blanca, which included a  shootout.

In the attack last Wednesday near a mall in Tierra Blanca, the command led by Gonzalez Sanchez, attempted to kidnap the head of the municipal police….. Link to full article

Source: La Pais Intl