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| He Was Always There Since the Very Beginning |
Over the city of Tijuana there is hanging a long black shroud, torn and stained. Silently it twists in the bitter salt breeze as everyone's heart breaks. For everyone loved Margarito Martinez Esquivel, consider yourself lucky even to have met him, a gentle and honorable man.
The shock of his assassination lingers throughout the city, now a solemn vale of tears.
The tributes, laments and condemnations for this cowardly act of murder are unprecedented: from the United Nations, The European Union, Journalists throughout the world, the Association of Communicologists of Baja California, the Medical Health Cluster (union), the Governor of Baja California Marina del Pilar Avila Olmeda, the Mayor of Tijuana Montserrat Caballero Ramirez, the state Human Rights Commission of Baja California and so many other groups and people - all expressing solidarity with the family of Margarito.
All, except for one - Presidente AMLO. We are supposed to hear something from him today (or so he told us), so far nothing. Here is an excerpt from 'AMLO Does Not Condemn The Murder Of Margarito Martinez, Nor Does He Offer Condolences To Relatives and Colleagues' two days ago:
~ From Zeta
AMLO no condena asesinato de Margarito Martinez, ni da condolencias a familiares y colegas
"...Throughout almost 20 minutes in which he answered the question, the national president did not send condolences to the family of either of the two journalists, nor did he promise that his Government, the Federal Government, will solve said crimes.
So far this Administration headed by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador -from December 1, 2018 to Monday, January 17, 2022, and based on data from the Federal Ministry of the Interior (SEGOB)-, A total of 51 communicators have been murdered, in addition to 94 activists, which gives a total of 145 people and most of these crimes have gone unpunished."
At 2:21 pm today, we still have not heard anything from AMLO.
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From The Guardian, to Reuters, to BBC to the major news sources in the US and Mexico, all have been glowing with praise and respect for Margarito. Except for one.
Unfortunately I receive email updates from this "news source", but since this report, I have cancelled my subscription.
~ From Telesur:
Photojournalist Margarito Martinez Is Shot Dead In Tijuana
An excerpt:
"...His work was highly appreciated, although he was recently accused of providing support and publicity to members of the Mexican organized crime.
Martinez had recently received several death threats, according to an anonymous source who also declared he decided to enter the “protection program” as he started to feel vulnerable."
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Telesur with a global audience committed two gross oversights:
One, what was the point in a persistency of misinformation and rumor or smear job - not to mention who or what group(s) would be most likely to start a vicious smear like this and what their agenda was ?
Smearing or minimizing your rival down here almost seems to be an art form, second nature, sophisticated yet commonplace. Special interest groups from both sides of the border (usually about money) are just as if even more powerful than the US Corporations.
Two,as far as State Protection, apparently it is seriously lacking if even operable according to Telemundo:
"He told me that he was already in the system, that they had already spoken to him and that they had already treated him and that he was already in the system and I believed him," said Sonia de Anda, a member of the Yo si soy Periodista collective.
However, the protection mechanism to which he thought was already attached, was never started, because there were no documents to fill out in the federal system and the state system was not operating.
"The two years that we were in session, we were doing it under a dream, under an issue of political will because Congress had not created the law that would give foundation to the existence of the system," said De Anda."
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Well, we are still waiting for AMLO, there has been an arrest made in this case and tomorrow (Friday) there will be a vigil held in Margarito's honor:
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Adding this 01/21/22: Late last night Zeta reported the Lying In Repose of Margarito and did not have much confidence in the recent arrest of a person for Margarito's murder. (Who, BTW has since been released - you know how it works...'round up the usual suspects', etc. This aspect of "quick" arrests is particularly true in high profile cases, such as Margarito's.)
I could not attend nor will I be able to go to today's vigil, because I can't walk. In the latest printed edition of Zeta, the report is that the murder weapon has been tied to the CJNG - Mike will pick up a copy tomorrow:
Here is the cover:
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| Note: Podcast now available on Zeta. Here's the link. |
Es Velado Margarito Martinez Esquivel
Destacados - Gerardo Andrade - jueves, 20 enero, 2022 10:38 PM
"An endless queue formed in the Main Chapel of the Funeraria del Río, where the photojournalist Margarito Martínez Esquivel, who was murdered on Monday, January 17, was laid to rest.
Family, friends, journalists from all the media in the region accompanied Margarito Martínez, who, thanks to his work, earned the affection and respect of many people
For nearly two decades, the photojournalist dedicated himself to documenting the police note, for which authorities also attended, such as personnel from the Second Military Zone.
Several media outlets, some international, broadcast live outside the funeral home since the news of the murder of the renowned photojournalist shocked the journalistic union.
Margarito Martínez collaborated with several media outlets, as well as in the weekly magazine ZETA.
In relation to the investigation carried out by the State Attorney General's Office (FGE), there has been no significant progress so far.
For this coming Friday, a vigil will be held at the Mexico monument, better known as Las Tijeras de la Zona del Río, to demand that the murder of the photojournalist not go unpunished."
Take care everyone.
P.S. Still no word from AMLO.
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