Two Mexican journalists were killed in separate attacks this week, marking the first journalist deaths under President Claudia Sheinbaum’s administration. Patricia Ramírez González, known professionally as Paty Bunbury, was shot and killed Wednesday afternoon, October 30, 2024, in Colima state. Just 24 hours prior, Mauricio Cruz Solís, who headed an online news outlet, was killed in Uruapan, Michoacán.

Cruz Solís was shot shortly after interviewing the mayor of Uruapan. Ramírez González, an entertainment reporter, was targeted in a separate attack in Colima, a state experiencing increased cartel-related violence.

In a joint report, Amnesty International and the Committee to Protect Journalists highlighted Mexico as among the most dangerous places globally for journalists.

The killings highlight ongoing safety concerns for media workers in Mexico, where over 150 journalists have been killed since 1994. Under former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration, violence against journalists increased by 85% since 2018, with 36 journalists killed during his tenure.

The federal Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, established in 2012, has faced criticism. Eight journalists enrolled in the protection program have been killed in the past seven years.

Article 19, a civil organization monitoring press freedom, documented 1,945 attacks against the press during the previous administration, representing an 85% increase from prior years.

The majority of crimes against journalists remain unsolved, with investigations often stalling. Journalists covering drug trafficking and organized crime face particular risks, as criminal groups frequently target them in retaliation for negative coverage.

Recent attacks against media workers include an assault on the El Debate newspaper offices in Culiacán, Sinaloa on October 17, where the building’s facade and vehicles were damaged. In August, Ariel Grajales Rodas, editor of Villaflores.com.mx, was shot at his home in Chiapas.