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Award-winning Mexican reporter Javier Valdez killed | Award-winning Mexican reporter Javier Valdez killed |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Award-winning Mexican journalist Javier Valdez has been shot dead in the north-western state of Sinaloa. | Award-winning Mexican journalist Javier Valdez has been shot dead in the north-western state of Sinaloa. |
He was killed when unidentified attackers opened fire on his car in the city of Culiacan where Valdez was working, the RioDoce website reports. | He was killed when unidentified attackers opened fire on his car in the city of Culiacan where Valdez was working, the RioDoce website reports. |
Valdez, 50, received the International Press Freedom Award by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in 2011 for his coverage of drug trafficking. | Valdez, 50, received the International Press Freedom Award by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in 2011 for his coverage of drug trafficking. |
He is the fifth journalist to be killed in Mexico this year. | He is the fifth journalist to be killed in Mexico this year. |
Speaking at a launch of his book last year, he said: "Being a journalist is like being on a blacklist." | |
"Even though you may have bullet-proofing and bodyguards, [the gangs] will decide what day they are going to kill you." | |
During his career spanning nearly three decades, Valdez wrote extensively on drug-trafficking and organised crime in Mexico, including the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel. | |
The cartel is believed to be responsible for an estimated 25% of all illegal drugs that enter the US via Mexico. | |
Its founder Joaquin Guzman, also known as "El Chapo" (Shorty), was captured is 2014 and is currently in jail awaiting trial in the US. | |
In March, after journalist Miroslava Breach was shot dead, Valdez was quoted as saying "No to silence" and "Let them kill us all". | |
Like Valdez, Breach had reported on organised crime, drug-trafficking and corruption. | Like Valdez, Breach had reported on organised crime, drug-trafficking and corruption. |
At the time, the CPJ said 38 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 1992. | At the time, the CPJ said 38 journalists have been killed in Mexico since 1992. |