Mexican Journalist Hamurabi Huesca Manzano Shot Dead in Oaxaca Amid Mounting Violence

Hamurabi Huesca Manzano has been shot and killed in the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, making him the ninth journalist to lose his life in the country this year, human rights organisation Article 19 reports.

Huesca Manzano, who operated the news website Pinotepa Comunica and worked part-time as a taxi driver, was killed on Friday when an armed group opened fire on him and two other individuals, according to the state prosecutor’s report.

Authorities stated that one line of inquiry points to a potential dispute between local criminal groups, with the intended target believed to be a man identified as "El Dario". El Dario, known for allegedly instigating violence on the Oaxaca coast, sustained injuries in the attack and passed away at a hospital hours later.

According to prosecutors, Huesca Manzano was working as a taxi driver and waiting to transport El Dario when the shooting occurred. The prosecutor’s office announced that the attackers have been "fully identified," though they did not release names or specify whether Huesca Manzano's journalism was a factor in the attack.

Contradictory local media reports suggest the shooting took place at Huesca Manzano's home and indicated that a woman was also wounded in the incident.

Article 19 issued a strong condemnation of the killing, stating on X: "We demand that the prosecutor’s office treat his journalistic work as a priority in its investigation."

Antonio Olmedo Mendoza, the mayor of San Miguel Tlacamama, verified the death of Manzano and expressed condolences in an official statement shared by local media. "With deep sorrow, I regret the passing of Hamurabi Sinclair Huesca Manzano," he stated, extending his sympathy to the victim's family, friends, and colleagues.

Data from Reporters Without Borders highlights Mexico as one of the most hazardous nations globally for media professionals, with more than 150 media workers killed since 1994.