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November 12, 2025 – Mexico –
In a chilling act of intimidation, crime reporter Paco Cedeño, known for his coverage of public safety issues in the eastern Mexican state of Morelos, was targeted with a direct death threat when a human head was discovered beside a sign addressed to him.
Residents alerted authorities in the municipality of Cuautla on 10 November after spotting the grotesque scene along the Mexico–Oaxaca highway: a severed head placed next to a handwritten message apparently signed by a criminal organisation, threatening the journalist by name. Cedeño operates the news portal pacocedeño.com and a Facebook page, both focused on police and crime reporting in the region.
Already operating under protective measures due to earlier threats, Cedeño filed formal complaints with both the Fiscalía General de la República (FGR) and the Fiscalía General del Estado de Morelos (FGE) following the incident. In response, the state’s Secretaría de Seguridad y Protección Ciudadana de Morelos announced enhancements to its protection plan.
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemned the threat and called on authorities to escalate investigations, noting that the method of leaving human remains alongside a direct message is part of a broader pattern of violence used to instil fear among journalists. The IFJ further urged the implementation of the Protocolo Homologado de Delitos contra la Libertad de Expresión to ensure the case is treated as an attack on press freedom.
This episode underscores the extreme and brutal risks faced by journalists in Mexico, particularly those who report on organised crime and public safety. The signal sent by the perpetrators is clear: journalism is itself a target.
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Mexican crime reporter threatened with note left beside human remains
