Crime journalist k!lled in Mexico as World Cup kicks off

A  journalist was killed in the Mexican state of Veracruz on Thursday, June 11, just hours before the country hosted the opening match of the 2026 World Cup, in a country regarded as one of the most dangerous places in the world for working journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders.

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Luis Ángel López Valdez, a crime reporter for the Vanguardia de Veracruz news outlet, was fatally shot in the city of Poza Rica in the northern part of the state, the newspaper reported. According to the account, the vehicle he was travelling in was intercepted by armed individuals in the early morning hours. The reporter is believed to have received threats prior to his death.

The University of Guadalajara’s Observatory on Freedom of Expression and Violence against Journalists issued a statement condemning the killing and calling for a thorough investigation. It said the incident represented a “serious attack on freedom of expression.”

“Violence against journalists not only silences individual voices but also weakens democracy and violates the collective right to information,” it added.

Crime journalist Carlos Castro was also killed in Veracruz in January. A UNESCO press release at the time said Castro, who worked for Código Norte Veracruz, had previously been under protection from local authorities, but that protection had reportedly been withdrawn at the time of his death because he had lived outside the state for a period.

Mexico is regarded as one of the most dangerous and deadly countries for working journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders, a Paris-based NGO dedicated to defending access to free information. The organization states on its website that more than 150 journalists have been murdered in the country since 2000, with another 28 reported missing.

Journalists in Mexico, particularly those who cover sensitive topics such as crime or politics, often face threats and warnings and battle collusion between organised crime gangs and local authorities, according to RSF.

The latest killing comes amid heightened security around Mexico as the 2026 World Cup gets underway. Mexico will host games across Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey, with the national team playing all three of its group fixtures on home soil. Mexico began the tournament with a 2-0 victory against South Africa in the capital’s Estadio Azteca on Thursday.