Ernesto Mendez, who was he? One of the four people shot dead outside a Mexican club was a journalist.
On Tuesday August 2, three people were killed in a shooting at a bar in Guanajuato, Mexico, including journalist Ernesto Mendez. Mendez was one of 13 homicide victims reported in Mexican media this year, so the crime sparked outrage.
Ernesto Mendez reportedly worked at the pub that belonged to his family, according to Reuters. In addition, he ran the neighborhood newspaper Tu Voz, which had previously been the target of death threats due to its aggressive coverage of drug cartels and corruption-related activities.
Mendez and his family were partying at the bar, according to Barron’s, when the attack happened. Although the names of the victims have not been released by authorities, it is believed that one of them was the owner of the bar.
Ernesto Mendez
The information we have on Ernesto Mendez
Ernesto Mendez was a well-known resident who made a name for himself both for his fearless journalism work and his role as a spokesperson for businesses in the neighborhood, organizing different fairs and events.
The reason Mendez was chosen, according to city mayor Luis Sanchez, is still unclear. However, Mendez’s Zona Franca affiliation revealed that the journalist had previously faced death threats because of his work.
This was backed by human rights group Article 19, which had argued that Mendez was vulnerable to attack because of his combative journalistic approach.
In an official statement, Article 19 claimed that a trained commando carried out the murder, raising the possibility that a highly organized criminal group was responsible.
The article 19 declaration said:
An armed commando broke into a tavern belonging to the Mendez family to commit the crime.
Guanajato State Governor Diego Rodriguez issued the following statement in response to Mendez’s passing:
“We vehemently condemn the act in which journalist and businessman Ernesto Mendez and two other people tragically perished.”
The governor has identified another potential motive for the murder. He claimed that Ernesto Mendez’s establishment could have been subject to extortion or rivalry between rival companies. He added that Mendez’s attendance at regional state fairs, which frequently attract criminal elements due to the convenience of gambling and money laundering, may have been linked to the murder.
He added:
We are aware that there is a lot of activity at local fairs, including cockfighting, palenques and other complicated activities later.
Currently, an investigation is ongoing regarding the shooting. The identities and motives of the suspects have yet to be determined by authorities.
