World
Journalist and Taxi Driver Hamurabi Huesca Manzano Shot Dead in Oaxaca
A journalist who also worked as a taxi driver was shot dead in Oaxaca, Mexico, on Friday. Hamurabi Huesca Manzano, the owner of the news website Pinotepa Comunica, was killed when an armed group opened fire on him and two others, according to the state prosecutor’s report. The prosecutor’s office says the attackers have been fully identified but does not name them or indicate whether Huesca Manzano’s journalism was a factor. One line of inquiry suggests the shooting was linked to a dispute between local criminal groups and that the intended target was a man known as “El Dario.” El Dario, who has been involved in violence on the Oaxaca coast, was wounded in the attack and died in hospital hours later. Prosecutors say Huesca Manzano was waiting to take El Dario somewhere else when he was shot. Local reports differ on the location of the attack; some say he was shot at his home and that a woman was also injured. Human rights organisation Article 19 condemned the killing and demanded that the prosecutor’s office treat his journalistic work as a priority in its investigation. The mayor of San Miguel Tlacamama, Antonio Olmedo Mendoza, confirmed Manzano’s death and offered condolences, saying, “With deep sorrow, I regret the passing of Hamurabi Sinclair Huesca Manzano,” and adding that he joined the grief of his family, friends and colleagues. Mexico has been described as one of the most dangerous countries for journalists, with more than 150 media workers killed there since 1994, according to Reporters Without Borders.