Anabel Hernandez. Mexico, the risks of informing

Giornaliste.org 7 November 2023 News 0 Comment

[fullwidth background_color=”#ffffff” background_image=”” background_parallax=”none” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”20px” padding_bottom=”20px” padding_left=”20px” padding_right=”20px” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text] Anabel Hernández A recent guest at the “Festival of International” (Ferrara, 30/09 – 2/10), Anabel Hernandez is one of Mexico’s best-known reporters. Through his journalistic investigations, he unveiled the darkest plots and interconnections between the world of politics and drug cartels. She came into the crosshairs of narcos after the publication of her book “The Land of the Narcos” (Mondadori, 2014 – http://www.librimondadori.it/libri/la-terra-dei-narcos-anabel-hernandez) and was constantly threatened, she had to leave Mexico and take refuge in the United States where she lived. “The image that describes freedom of expression in Mexico is that of the plastic bags containing pieces of kidnapped, tortured, raped and murdered journalists,” Hernandez said during the debate “Latin America, the risks of informing,” organized as part of the 10th edition of the Festival. Interviewed by “La Nuova Ferrara,” in this passage to Italy, when asked about what it means to be a journalist, Hernandez said she has found in journalism the right space to be able to be useful to the community (…) especially in a country like Mexico, where freedom of expression is practically nonexistent and the government and drug cartels kill journalists.” Widening our gaze, Anabel’s words allow for a reflection on the condition of female reporters in Mexico. The weekly newspaper “Left” cites a dossier (https://www.article19.org/resources.php/resource/38304/en/mexico:-fear-in-the-newsroom) of the “Article 19” association (https://www.article19.org/) defending press freedom, which states that “in Mexico, 2015 was the most violent year for journalists, but female journalists are the ones against whom the level of violence is rising the fastest.” Women journalists are also attacked for “practicing a profession considered too hard and difficult, which breaks with the classic role of mother – wife” (…). “If it is a man who slams you in the headlines, you torture him and/or kill him, but somehow you accept it because he is your ‘equal.’ From a woman you cannot accept it, so the punishment will have to be harsher to degrade and humiliate her”(https://www.left.it/2016/03/16/violenza-giornalisti-donne-messico/). Even in Mexico, then, the reality for women who resist has a fierce face.