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February 02, 2025 – Mexico –
Mexican journalist Alan García Zúñiga was abducted near his home in Poza Rica, Veracruz, a region notorious for threats against press freedom. García Zúñiga, who had worked for local newspapers Noreste and El Dictamen de Veracruz, had shifted from traditional reporting to managing a Facebook page sharing official police information at the municipal and state levels. He also worked as a stretcher-bearer at a Pemex hospital. Since 2017, García Zúñiga had been under the Federal Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists, following an earlier armed attack against him.
On the morning of the kidnapping, armed men intercepted García Zúñiga in the Guadalupe Victoria neighborhood. Despite efforts to escape, he was forcibly taken. His motorcycle and phone were left behind at the scene, which triggered a rapid response from both local and federal authorities.
For 11 days, García Zúñiga was held captive under unclear conditions. The State Commission for the Attention and Protection of Journalists (CEAPP) later confirmed his release on February 2, 2025, following a coordinated operation by state and federal forces. After being rescued, he received medical attention and was safely reunited with his family.
This abduction highlights the grave risks faced by journalists in Veracruz, a state marked by persistent violence and intimidation targeting media workers. Despite the protection measures in place, including federal safeguards aimed at shielding journalists under threat, García Zúñiga’s kidnapping underscores the ongoing vulnerabilities and challenges for press freedom in the region.
Journalists in Veracruz and across Mexico regularly confront threats, harassment, and attacks that jeopardize their ability to report freely and safely. The persistence of violence against reporters has drawn condemnation from national and international human rights organizations, which urge Mexican authorities to strengthen protections and ensure accountability for crimes against media professionals.
Alan García Zúñiga’s ordeal serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need to enhance security for journalists, uphold their rights, and safeguard the fundamental role they play in informing the public and exposing injustices.
Reference –
https://ground.news/article/journalist-alan-garcia-zuniga-is-located-with-life-in-poza-rica-veracruz
Armed men kidnap Mexican journalist who was under protective measures
Mexican journalist Alan García Zúñiga released 11 days after being abducted
Likewise, it reiterates its commitment to the security and protection of the journalistic profession in Veracruz.
How was Alan García Zúñiga deprived of his liberty?
Journalist Alan García Zúñiga was found 10 days after being the victim of a crime of deprivation of liberty. A group of armed men followed him to his home in the Guadalupe Victoria neighborhood, in Poza Rica, Veracruz, when he was returning from his workday at Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), on January 22.
The armed men intercepted García Zúñiga in front of his home on Cuauhtémoc Street, corner with Nicolás Bravo, when he arrived on his motorcycle, and put him in the gray truck in which they were traveling.
Since then, journalists’ groups have demanded that the authorities return him alive and guarantee his well-being.
It is worth remembering that this is the second time that journalist Alan García Zúñiga has been a victim of violence in Veracruz. In March 2017, he was the victim of a gun attack, and since then he has been registered in the Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists of the Ministry of the Interior (Segob).
