Mexican authorities urged to spare no effort in search for missing news anchor
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Mexican authorities to make every effort to quickly find a well-known Televisa TV news anchor who was reported missing in Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco state, on 11 March. They must also provide his family with protection, RSF says.
Update 03/13/24: the journalist Jaime Barrera Rodriguez was found safe this Wednesday, March 13, in the morning in Magdalena, a town located 70 kilometers north of Guadalajara. The journalist confirmed that he was the victim of a kidnapping and that his journalistic work could be the reason. The kidnappers did not demand a ransom before releasing him. The journalist revealed that he was beaten by the kidnappers during his captivity but is in good health.
The host of a Televisa evening news show in Guadalajara, Jaime Barrera also works for other media outlets and has been one of Jalisco’s best known journalists for years, covering a wide range of stories, from domestic politics to international news. He was last seen by colleagues when he left radio Líder Informativo 91.9 FM after hosting his midday show.
Barrera’s last communication with a member of his staff was at 2 p.m. He was reported missing after failing to appear at the Televisa studios in Guadalajara for his 9 p.m. news show. After contacting his family, Jalisco’s governor announced Barrera’s disappearance and said efforts were under way to locate him.
RSF is in contact with members of Barrera’s family in order to offer them its support, and has alerted the national mechanism for the protection of journalists.
“The news of Jaime Barrera's disappearance is extremely disturbing and heart-breaking. The apprehension and uncertainty not only affect those close to him, but also cast a shadow over Mexican journalism in its entirety, reflecting the feeling of despair and helplessness in the face of widespread violence against the media in this country. We urge the authorities to spare no effort to find Jaime Barrera and to ensure that his family is protected.
Mexico is one of the world’s most violent countries for journalists and the one with the most disappearances of media professionals. Of a total of 84 disappearances worldwide, 31 are in Mexico. The most recent previous case was that of Juan Carlos Hinojosa Viveros, a photo-journalist who has been missing since 6 July 2023.
Mexico is ranked 128th out of 180 countries in RSF's 2023 World Press Freedom Index.
