Facing threats from drug gangs along with two grenade attacks, the Mexican newspaper Cambio Sonora, announced that it will shut down temporarily. Located in the border state of Sonora, the newspaper had already halted most of its investigations into drug trafficking and organized crime. Newspaper officials said the attacks were designed to intimidate the staff and create an atmosphere of fear.
The newspaper's closing is illustrative of two dangerous trends in Mexico — drug violence, and threats against journalists. In this case, as in many others, the two are linked as reporters in Mexico face personal risk for investigating or exposing drug traffickers. The resulting violence has made Mexico the second deadliest place in the world for journalists after Iraq.
See: Mexico newspaper is drug war casualty (CNN)
(AP Photo by Guillermo Arias)
