The Murder of Journalist Roxana Guzmán Reveals Once Again the Link Between Organized Crime and the State in Veracruz
Sadly, it is an old story in Veracruz.
An armed group entered the home of journalist Moisés Sánchez in Medellín de Bravo on January 2, 2015, took him away in front of his family while municipal police looked on without intervening, and his body was found 22 days later. The main suspect accused of ordering his murder remains former mayor Omar Cruz.
Sergio Landa met with officers from the Veracruz Public Security Secretariat on January 22, 2012, and that was the last time his colleagues from Diario Cardel saw him alive. He remains missing.
María Elena Ferral was shot eight times in March 2020 after spending years investigating forced disappearances and government corruption. She had repeatedly reported threats from a political network allegedly led by former mayor and former congressman Basilio Picazo, who remains a fugitive.
In Veracruz, Regina Martínez, Noel López, Cándido Ríos, Jorge Celestino Ruiz, and Jacinto Romero were all murdered after reporting threats against them.
The number of murdered journalists in the state has continued to rise, reaching 34 with the killing of Roxana Guzmán. Her murder once again exposes the longstanding relationship between organized crime and the state.
Eight Arrested in the Kidnapping and Murder of Roxana Guzmán
Authorities have arrested eight people in connection with the kidnapping and murder of Roxana Guzmán, founder of Pulso Informativo del Sureste, a Facebook news page she managed from Nanchital.
She lived with her parents, two children, brother, and nephews in two neighboring houses connected by a shared courtyard.
Her family operated several small businesses, including:
- A seafood business.
- A snack shop.
- A recently opened michelada business.
Orders were received by phone and delivered throughout the town of approximately 30,000 residents.
Because of this, promotional posts for the family businesses occasionally appeared alongside local news on Pulso Informativo del Sureste.
The page also covered:
- Medical and sporting events.
- Traffic accidents.
- Public demonstrations.
- Executions.
- Disappearances.
Small local news outlets like this are often the only source of information in regions heavily affected by organized crime. Nanchital has become an area marked by silence.
Investigation Continues
Without a complete investigation, it remains impossible to determine whether Roxana Guzmán was kidnapped and murdered because of her journalism, just as it has been difficult to identify which specific reports led to the killings of other journalists before her.
Her case is currently being handled by the Special Prosecutor’s Office for Crimes Against Freedom of Expression (FEADLE), a division of Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office (FGR).
Governor Distances the Crime from Journalism
Veracruz Governor Rocío Nahle had not publicly commented after authorities confirmed the discovery of Roxana Guzmán’s remains.
Days earlier, however, she attempted to separate the investigation from Guzmán’s journalistic work.
“The attacks were not related to her journalistic work. In my administration there is absolute freedom of expression.”
Her administration has now faced the deaths of three media workers without providing clear answers.
Earlier in 2026, Carlos Leonardo Ramírez and Luis Ángel López Valdez were murdered in Poza Rica.
Mexico has recorded three murdered journalists in 2026, and all three cases occurred in Veracruz.
Details of the Arrests
The Veracruz State Prosecutor’s Office reported the arrest of:
- Four alleged members of a criminal organization operating in southern Veracruz.
- Four municipal police officers from Ixhuatlán del Sureste, neighboring Nanchital.
The first suspect arrested was José del Carmen, known as Delta 7.
Roxana’s mother, Rubicelia Ramírez, identified him as one of the men who entered their home and abducted her daughter.
Authorities had already considered him a high-priority target.
Investigators relied heavily on surveillance footage recorded by Roxana’s family during the kidnapping on June 2, which ultimately led to the arrests of:
- Javier Iván, alias Delta 1.
- Luis Arturo N, alias Delta 11.
Authorities allege that all three directly participated in the kidnapping.
Possible Connection to Grupo Sombra
Several local media outlets have linked the suspects to Grupo Sombra, a criminal organization that emerged after splitting from the Gulf Cartel in northern Veracruz.
According to security consultancy Lantia Intelligence, the group now operates throughout Veracruz and also maintains a presence in:
- Tamaulipas.
- San Luis Potosí.
- Oaxaca.
- Chiapas.
The organization has been associated with attacks against civilians from Poza Rica to Coatzacoalcos over the past year.
Previously released military intelligence indicated that Grupo Sombra was engaged in a violent conflict with the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) in 2019.
Discovery of Roxana Guzmán’s Remains
Authorities located Roxana Guzmán’s remains last week on a ranch in Moloacán.
Her identity was officially confirmed only after DNA testing with family members.
According to reports, her body had been burned at the property.
Investigators allege that Karen N, known as La Hiena, helped conceal evidence at the site.
Authorities also determined that municipal police officers frequently visited the ranch.
The Veracruz Prosecutor’s Office confirmed charges against officers:
- Julio César N.
- Luis Enrique N.
- Juan Carlos N.
- Commander Ismael N.
They are accused of:
- Providing resources.
- Supplying food.
- Offering logistical support to the criminal organization.
These findings are consistent with Roxana’s mother’s account.
She stated that the four men who kidnapped her daughter were dressed as police officers and, when asked where they were taking her, replied that they were taking her “to the police station.”
Ongoing Investigation
This case represents another documented instance of organized crime infiltrating state institutions, now supported by multiple arrests.
The investigation will now focus on determining why municipal police officers and members of a criminal organization allegedly worked together to kidnap and murder journalist Roxana Guzmán.
Source: elpais
