Governor of Zacatecas blamed the media for being “promoters of criminal organizations”

David Monreal, governor of Zacatecas, one of the 10 states most affected by the wave of violence generated by drug cartels in 2022, issued controversial statements in which he blamed the media for being “promoters of the organizations criminals”.

It was during the press conference held from the hangar of the Ministry of Public Security, on March 30, that Ricardo Monreal's brother insisted on the existence of a “cursed legacy”, which has hindered his government's actions in the area of security.

He also stated that there are many “false redeemers” who seek prominence with this issue, a situation that is completely adverse for Zacatecanos. For this reason, he accused journalists of spreading the “horror scenes” carried out by organized crime.

“I dare even say that there are some media that became promoters of criminal organizations, fortunately, it seems to me that the least, but today they are the ones who disseminate, promote horror scenes, crime scenes, because of them they are now organized crime and who make their scenes, their strategies, like videos that disseminate, that promote, that the fund then intends, and achieve it, of intimacy to society,” reproached the state president.

He also indicated that these media, without specifying names, do not have an agreement with criminal groups “because I don't even think they have done that.” However, he explained that if this assumption were a reality, he would be faced with a delicate situation, although he held these media companies responsible for their own actions.

A reporter asked for the floor and rebuked Monreal to ask him for the names of these media, which he accused of having ties with drug trafficking. He did not respond directly and only blamed the national broadcasting of these scenes, since, he said, he did not know his information.

“I am not referring to those from here (Zacatecas), of what is sometimes published in national media or in another, which ask them to publish this or that action or thing. So, I am referring to the dissemination or promotion that, no one is unknown, because then, as they say, the note sells,” said Monreal Ávila.

As soon as these words were released, several journalists and media collaborators shared a statement demanding that the governor of Zacatecas recall and investigate, if he had evidence, the case presented. If they did not have them, they asked to make a public apology for the grievance made.

They regretted that these statements were made a few days after the murder of journalist Juan Carlos Muñiz in Fresnillo. For this reason, they alerted the president to be endangering “the lives and work of reporters, by telling society that we are part of organized crime.”

The document reiterated that attacks against journalists in Zacatecas are a reality. Because of this, they demanded not to “pay this climate of aggression” against them. “You are uncomfortable with the information that you intend not to be socialized and transcended, given the inability of your administration,” wrote the communicators.

Finally, they clarified that the media are not promoters of violence in the state, since their role is to publicize the facts, no matter where they come from. In addition, they stressed that in order to obtain this information, they sometimes expose their physical integrity in order to fulfill their responsibility to report truthfully.

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