(RSF/IFEX) – RSF says it is appalled at a bid to intimidate Pedro Pérez Natividad, editor of the daily “Primera Hora”, after his vehicle was destroyed by a homemade bomb on 10 May 2005, in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas State, northeastern Mexico. The bombing was the second attack on a journalist in the city this year. […]
(RSF/IFEX) – RSF says it is appalled at a bid to intimidate Pedro Pérez Natividad, editor of the daily “Primera Hora”, after his vehicle was destroyed by a homemade bomb on 10 May 2005, in Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas State, northeastern Mexico.
The bombing was the second attack on a journalist in the city this year. Dolores Guadalupe García Escamilla, of Estéreo 91 XHNOE radio, died on 16 April as a result of a 5 April shooting (see IFEX alerts of 19, 8 and 7 April 2005).
“The climate of terror and impunity affecting journalists in Mexico’s northern states is reaching alarming and unacceptable proportions,” said RSF.
“Once again we call for a thorough investigation to unmask not only the killers but those who order these repeated attacks against the press. We also hope that the special prosecutor’s office set up at a federal level will cooperative fully in the investigations,” the organisation said.
Pérez’s van was parked in front of his home a few streets from the newspaper’s offices when the bombing occurred at around 11:30 p.m. (local time), completely destroying the interior. Police found a Coca-Cola bottle and a petrol-soaked cloth inside the vehicle. “I have no enemies or conflicts with anyone. I am afraid because I don’t know where the threat could come from,” the editor told RSF. Pérez also said he had not received any warnings prior to the attack, although a colleague specialising in criminal cases had received threats, which were recorded on a police wiretap. García had also been receiving threats prior to her attack.
Pérez’s attack may have been provoked by an article in “Primera Hora” on the Gulf Cartel drug-traffickers. The editor noted, however, that, “[the] case goes back eight months and it was reported on by all the media, based on information provided by the authorities.”
Witnesses reported seeing a man approximately 1.7 m tall and wearing a striped shirt fleeing the scene after the explosion.
Pérez has been receiving Tamaulipas state police protection since 12 May.
