Periodismo y Narcotráfico (Media and War on Drugs)

8/9/2019 Periodismo y Narcotrfico (Media and War on Drugs)

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Media and war on drugs

Doing journalism in times of trouble: War on drugsand freedom of expression in Mexico

By Mara Elena Meneses

Research assistant Tala Murillo

Tecnolgico de Monterrey- University of NorthCarolina Chapel Hill, march-2010


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Doing journalism in times of trouble.War on drugs and freedom of speech in Mexico

By Maria Elena Meneses

Research assistant: Tala Murillo

El Diario de Jurez, 2009


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Mexicos images around the world


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Mexico: a dangerous place for journalists

Mexico is the second most dangerouscountry for exercising journalism

after Iraq.

International NewsSafety Institute, 2009

Christoph Bangert


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Tele Atlas, Transnavicom, Europa Technologies, 2010


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Tele Atlas, Transnavicom, Europa Technologies, 2010


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D rug Trafficking: A Global issue

P roducers

Consumers

International distribution networks


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Mexico has

fundamentally beena producer anddistributor countrythrough the knowncartels and criminalorganizations.

D rug Trafficking: A Global issue

Poppy flower in Guerrero La Jornada, March 2010


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North America

The UN estimates thataround 200 000 people ayear consume drugs atleast once a year.North America consumesthe 75% of drugs.

UN and Organization ofAmerican States (OAS),

2009

D avidHgsholt


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A great business

Seized money from Zhen Li Ye Gon El Chino in 2007

La Jornada, 2007


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A great business

Worldwide: 320 billion dollars.

Mexico: drug trafficking isworth 19 billion dollars,occupying half a million

people.

United Nations, 2009


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A great business

Drug traffickingemployed 25%

more people thanwhat Mc Donaldsdid worldwide.

Expansin magazine, 2009.


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A way to obtain a job

In 60% of the Mexicanmunicipalities there arepeople employed inorganized crime.

Ramn Galindo, Mexican Senator


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Mexican war on drugs

P overty

Lack of opportunities

Corruption

ImpunityNeighborhood with the US

Benjamn Flores, 2001


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President Calderons war on drugs

More than 30 000soldiers and policemen

US moral andIntelligence

support

Proceso Foto 2008


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Mexican cartels

New York Times, 2009


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Consequences

1 5 thousand deaths

More than 7 thousandtraffickers captured

One big lordArturo Beltrn Leyva

El Universal, 2009


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Consequences

One execution every 65minutes

Violence climate in thewhole country

Reforma, 2009

Mexican Senate and Centerfor Journalism and P ublic Ethics

www.cepet.org


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Morelias drama

La Nacin, 2008


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Drugmessages

P roceso foto,2008


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Assassinations of journalists

From 2000 to 200957 journalists were killedin Mexico

Most of them under impunity

Trials are openedRSF, 2010


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E thical dilemmas

To cover or not to cover?If I get a picture am I an

accomplice?Mario Campos, Proceso foto 2004

Primera Hora de Sinaloa 2009


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2009

Jean P aul Ibarra , El Correo, murdered on February 13th

Luis Daniel Mndez , murdered on February 23th

Carlos Ortega , El Tiempo, murdered on May 3th

Eliseo Barron , La Opinin Milenio, kidnapped and murdered on May26th

Martn Miranda , P anorama Radio, murdered on July 12 th

Ernesto Montaez , Enfoque Magazine, murdered on July 14 th

Daniel Martnez , Radiorama, murdered on July 27 th

12 Mexican journalists were killed


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2009

Norbert Miranda , Radio Visin murdered on September 23th

Fabin Ramirez , Magia Radio station, murdered onNovember 11

th

Vladimir Antuna , El Tiempo de Durango, murdered onNovember 2 nd

Jos Galindo , Radio Universidad de Guadalajara found deathon December 24 th

Jos Velzquez , Expresiones de Tulum.

Source: Center for Journalism and P ublic Ethics.www.cepet.org


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V iolations against the freedom of speech

183 journalists suffered from some type of threat or extortion inMexico.

Journalists are victims of Levantones ( express kidnappings)

Most of them occurred in Chihuahua, Oaxaca, Veracruz, P ueblaand Mexico City

Source: Center for Journalism andP ublic Ethics. www.cepet.org


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In one out of everythree attacks the

police forces havebeen involved

the same forces thatguarantee the order intimes of organizedcrime.

Violations against the freedom of speech

P roceso foto, 2009


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Implications for journalism

Self-censorshipJournalists do not count with reliablesourcesThe official information is the one thatflows but it is partial

The coverage limits itself to give thelist of deaths or traffickers captured


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The confusion is permanent: incessantcrimes do not allow to distinguish sidesor reasons, the dead bodies pile up eachday in the pages and do not allow to seethe forest

MARIA IDALIA GOMEZ Y DARIO FRITZ(Mexican journalists talking about covering drug

trafficking)

Implications for journalism


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Most violent cities

Ciudad Juarez (Mexico)Caracas (Venezuela)

New Orleans (USA)Tijuana (Mexico)Bagdad takes the 10 th place

Source: Citizen Council for P ublic Security


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Journalist Jorge Luis AguirreFrom La Polaka websiteEl P aso, Texas

Interview


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E thical dilemmas

How to inform without being a speakerof the parts involved: the governmentor the crime?


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Servando Gomez Martinez L a Tuta(from La Familia cartel)

interviewed by Milenio

E thical dilemmas


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What has Mexican media done ?

Some -likeP roceso- havestopped

signing thenews stories

Others have

chosen self-censorship

P rotests in front of the P GR office.P roceso foto, 2009


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What should journalists do?

Spread the news, as an independent monitor of anytype of power.

Take care of themselves and media should providethem with training.

Journalists should be responsible in their coverage.

Take a field camp notebook, have a closerelationship with their editor to whom they mustinform of all their steps.

Also gather with sources in public places.


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A journalist is not the prosecutor,he is just a translator thatexplains and helps understand the

complex reality of society.

Reports, statistics and sources

testimonies should be confronted.Using leaks its OK, but throughan accurate verification.

What should journalists do?


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What Society needs to know

Authorities corruption

Army, policemen and politicians

Money laundry

Impunity

Conflict of interest


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The case of Colombia

To move journalists from zones of risk to safer ones.

P rovide training in the coverage of organized crime.

Give life insurances and protection to family membersof the journalists at risk.

Lower the number of assassinations throughintelligence reports.

P lan Antonio Nario


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Mara Elena MenesesFormer TV journalistP rofessor and researcher at Tecnolgico

de [email protected]@marmenesMy blog:

http://enmediostec.blogspot.com/Tala Murillo Monroy

Journalism student at Tecnolgico de MonterreyAssistant producer at MVS Noticiaschuleton@ gmail.com

Thank y ou


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Special Thanks to:-Reuters TV Mexico bureau

-Center for Journalism and P ublicEthics for bringing us The AnualReport one day before it wentpublic. The complete report 2009 :

www.cepet.org- Jorge Luis Aguirrewww.lapolaka.com

- Itzel Barrn Chirino

- Arturo Rendn Shoup

Documents

Periodismo y Narcotráfico (Media and War on Drugs)