Safeguard ZETA Tijuana Press

**Press Freedom Threatened: Protecting ZETA Tijuana** Urgent appeals to safeguard ZETA Tijuana as threats escalate following investigative reporting on organized crime. International pressure mounts for Mexican authorities to secure journalists’ safety.

**Press Freedom Under Threat: Urgent Call to Protect ZETA Tijuana**

International organizations are raising alarms over threats against ZETA Tijuana, a prominent investigative weekly. On December 31, 2024, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) implored Mexican authorities to secure the safety of ZETA’s staff and premises. This comes after a menacing banner was discovered in Tijuana, seemingly in retaliation for ZETA’s reporting on organized crime.

The CPJ has urged Mexico’s Secretariat of the Interior (SEGOB) to deploy its Protection Mechanism for Human Rights Defenders and Journalists to shield the publication and its team. RSF stressed the urgency for protecting Adela Navarro, ZETA’s director, and her colleagues following the threat linked to their coverage of the Arellano Félix cartel.

This unsettling message was found in Tijuana’s Libertad neighborhood, hinting at betrayals and a shadowy criminal group, referred to as “las flechas.” It mentioned specific grievances with the cartel dynamics and criticized ZETA’s integrity.

ZETA’s reporting had recently spotlighted cartel-related conflicts, including internal strife among criminal factions and their deadly impacts on local communities. Despite the seriousness of these threats, Artículo 19 reports a lack of proactive engagement from any authority to ensure the journalists’ safety.

The history of ZETA is marked by courage against repression. Since its founding in 1980, it has endured numerous attacks and the loss of its co-founders to violence. The international community continues to advocate for safeguarding media freedom as a pillar of democracy.

**Additional Concerns: Journalists in Mexico Face Ongoing Risks**

Reports of threats against media personnel continue to surface across Mexico. In recent weeks, banners warning of narco-related dangers appeared in areas including Culiacán and Mexicali. These serve as grim reminders of the lethal challenges journalists encounter, often caught in the crossfire of drug-related violence.

The importance of fortified protective measures cannot be overstated as the country’s press persistently faces intimidation. Global advocacy groups emphasize that ensuring journalists can operate free from fear is vital to fostering transparency and accountability in society.

The international push for upheld protections echoes the shared responsibility of all governing bodies in Mexico—federal and local—to defend press freedom and prosecute those who threaten it. The precedent is clear: safeguarding journalists not only protects truth but also strengthens the whole fabric of democratic life.