Press freedom association protests murder, attacks on media outlets in Mexico

The murder of Rodolfo Ochoa Mofreno, 27, a technician with the Grupo Multimedios multimedia company in Torreón sparked the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) on Thursday to issue a statement repudiating the attack in the Mexican state of Coahuila.

Mofreno was found with 9mm gunshot wounds when he died. Masked intruders burst into the Multimedios transmission facility in the early morning, shot him and stole equipment stored there, according to IAPA No group has claimed responsibility for the incident. 

The president of IAPA, the non-for-profit organization, Gonzalo Marroquín condemned the murder. He noted that “the same pattern of violence that we witnessed last year is clearly continuing this year.” Another media outlet, Radiorama was also targeted in the attack. Marroquín urged Mexican authorities to conduct an immediate investigation.

The assailants had gone first to the Radiorama plant, where they beat up a security guard and a companion and damaged equipment. They then proceeded to the Multimedios facility, where they forced open the main door and killed Moreno as he tried to call for help. 

Following the attacks Radiorama and Multimedios stayed off the air for several hours.  IAPA said in its statement that the attacks on the media premises were committed by underground gangs that are seeking to get noticed and create fear.