For the first time in modern history, citizens have participated in reasonably clean elections, with space for opposition parties. The mass media have been part of this opening pulling away from patterns of complaisance and collusion with those in power, pluralizing opinions and perspectives, and shining a light on the workings of government. The vast majority of revelations about official corruption arise not from the justice system, but in the pages of newspapers. Those who hold political power have lost the traditional mechanisms for controlling the press, and the shift toward a freer press has translated into growing hostility toward journalists. Despite the enormous political opening in the last two years, Mexico is still an extremely dangerous place.
Journalists still die because of their work.
The outcome was the formation of a committee charged with creating an association for the protection of journalists. Zeta i n Tijuana, was ambushed and riddled with automatic gunfire that killed his driver. There was never more palpable evidence of the need for an organization to protect Mexico's journalists. An independent, nonprofit, nonpartisan association that does not accept government funds, its tools include the ability to investigate these attacks, report them to the national and international media, and demand that the perpetrators be brought to justice. It will model its procedures and strategies on similar organizations in other countries.