Journalist and environmental activist Abisaí Pérez Romero, whose body died It was found in the municipality of Tula, in the central Mexican state of Hidalgo. first whistleblower case killed in mexico in 2023.
In a statement released this Thursday, the Autonomous University of Mexico City (UACM) reported the finding. “It is with deep sorrow that we report that the lifeless body of our colleague Abisaí Pérez Romero, a Communication and Culture career student of our training house, was found on February 14 in the municipality of Tula, Hidalgo state.” Institute.
The UACM said Pérez is “a committed advocate of human and environmental rights” and collaborates on the Atlas of Environmental Justice as well as participating in the University’s social work program on identifying and documenting socio-environmental conflicts. He recalled that he had recently dedicated himself to analyzing and condemning the impact of the Emisor Oriente Tunnel in the Mezquital Valley, the Regional Landfill in the Dendhó Community, and the Atotonilco Wastewater Treatment Plant, among others. The UACM regretted his death and called the Prosecutor’s Office and the Hidalgo state authorities “for immediate clarification of his death”.
Meanwhile, the organization Article 19 laments and condemns the disappearance and subsequent murder of journalist, land and territory defender and student Pérez Romero. He stated that he disappeared on February 12 and his body was found the next day. He recalled their collaboration and research and noted that he has documentaries on social networks with a YouTube channel -El Perromero-, as well as on the media Son Politikón_FM. “We request the Hidalgo State Attorney General to investigate immediately, impartially and diligently, applying the Approved Protocol to investigate crimes against freedom of expression and establish the motives for the murder,” Article 19 said in a message posted on social networks. .
He also called on the Mexican Government’s Victim Attention Enforcement Commission (CEAV) to provide comprehensive victim attention to those close to the journalist and accompany them in their process of demanding justice, truth and remembrance. “The continued disappearance and killing of journalists and activists in the region urgently needs to be prevented,” the NGO said. said. It has not yet been confirmed that the murder of Pérez Romero was caused by his journalistic work.
In 2022, Mexico signed up as: The most dangerous “country at peace” for the pressAccording to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), 13 cases intensify 20% of the world’s murders of journalists. According to the organization’s Article 19, a total of 157 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 2000, possibly in connection with their work. 37 of these occurred during the current term of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who took office on December 1, 2018.
Justice excludes criminal acts
Hidalgo Justice, confirming the death of the journalist, apparently had a declineAccording to the autopsy report, which states that no traces of violence were found, ‘El Universal’ gives the news. Forensic results identified a hematoma due to facial trauma from a fall, which was claimed as the cause of death. However, the State Attorney’s Office did not provide further details on the incident.