Attack on Journalist Marcos García Ramos in Chiapas Reignites Debate Over Protection Mechanisms
The armed attack against journalist Marcos García Ramos in Cintalapa, Chiapas, after covering the Mexico vs. Ecuador celebrations on the night of June 30, has reignited the debate over the effectiveness of Mexico’s federal protection mechanism for journalists and the urgent need to review security conditions in high-risk areas.
Shortly after 11:00 p.m. on June 30, armed men on motorcycles chased García Ramos and shot him in the back just a few blocks from his home. According to sources close to his family, the journalist sustained five gunshot wounds. The attack occurred minutes after he had completed a live broadcast from the town’s main square.
García Ramos, director and editor of the news outlet Real Cintalapa, was taken to Dr. Jesús Gilberto Gómez Maza Hospital in Tuxtla Gutiérrez. Due to hospital overcrowding, he remained on a stretcher for more than 15 hours before undergoing surgery.
Journalists Facing Self-Censorship and Collective Risk in Chiapas
According to ARTICLE 19, sources close to the outlet led by Marcos García stated that he and other journalists had decided to stop covering violent incidents as a form of self-censorship to protect themselves.
The Valles-Zoque region, where the municipalities of Cintalapa and Jiquipilas are located, has become a high-risk area due to territorial disputes between criminal groups. In July 2024, ARTICLE 19 had already raised concerns following the murder of journalist Víctor Alfonso Culebro Morales in the same municipality, requesting that authorities prioritize his journalistic work as the primary line of investigation.
Meanwhile, Chiapas Attorney General Jorge Luis Llaven Abarca announced the creation of a special investigative task force composed of members of the Strategic Investigations Unit, the Ministerial Investigation and Intelligence Agency, and specialized forensic experts.
ARTICLE 19 Calls for Review and Protection Following the Attack
ARTICLE 19 requested that the Federal Protection Mechanism for Journalists and Human Rights Defenders provide protective measures for García Ramos and his family. The organization also called for the establishment of a working group with journalists from the region to assess collective security risks.
Additionally, ARTICLE 19 urged the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Crimes Against Freedom of Expression (FEADLE) to take over the investigation and apply the National Protocol for Investigating Crimes Against Freedom of Expression.
The organization also called on the special investigative task force to address the structural causes behind threats against journalists and human rights defenders, with particular attention to the presence of organized criminal networks in the region.
Furthermore, ARTICLE 19 urged the Chiapas state government, in coordination with municipalities in the Valles-Zoque region, to develop a preventive strategy to address the risks faced by journalists and human rights defenders. In recent years, the state has seen an increase in attacks related to reporting on violence and public security.
Attacks and Risks Against Journalists Continue to Rise
The case of Marcos García Ramos adds to a growing number of attacks against journalists in southern Mexico, keeping concerns high about the dangers faced by those reporting in areas affected by violence and territorial conflicts.
Another recent case is that of Roxana Berenice Guzmán Ramírez, director of the digital news outlet Pulso Informativo del Sureste, who was abducted on the morning of June 2, 2026, from her home in Nanchital, Veracruz. According to reports, at least three armed and masked men forced their way into her home while she managed to record part of the incident on her cellphone.
As of the latest public update, Roxana Berenice Guzmán Ramírez remains missing. Authorities have made arrests and continue investigating all possible lines of inquiry, with particular focus on her work as a journalist. Her case underscores the dangers journalists face in Mexico, as well as the persistent impunity surrounding crimes against freedom of expression.
Source: infobae
