Francisco Ortiz Franco
Francisco Javier Ortiz Franco | |
---|---|
Born | 1954 Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato, Mexico |
Died | Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico | June 22, 2004
Occupation | Zeta journalist |
Known for | 2004 murder |
Francisco Javier Ortiz Franco (1954 in Dolores Hidalgo, Guanajuato – June 22, 2004 in Tijuana, Baja California) was a Mexican journalist, who was murdered after writing about drug trafficking.
Biography
Prior to his work as a journalist, Ortiz trained as a lawyer.[1] In 1980, he joined Jesús Blancornelas and Héctor Félix Miranda in founding Zeta, a weekly magazine known for its coverage of organized crime, drug trafficking, and government corruption.[2] Ortiz served as an editor and also wrote a column for the magazine on legal issues.[1]
In 2004, Ortiz began to write about drug trafficking.[3] At around this time, Zeta's editor-in-chief Jesús Blancornelas wanted to remove bylines from Zeta's most dangerous stories, but was persuaded not to by Ortiz, who wished his to continue to run.[4]
Death
On June 22, 2004, Ortiz was shot three or four times at the wheel of his car by masked gunmen in a drive-by shooting. The murder took place in full view of his son and daughter (aged 9 and 11), as he left a midday doctor's appointment.[1][3]
Four days later, dozens of journalists marched in protest of the murder.[5] On June 28, rallies against crime occurred in at least 10 Mexican cities, drawing hundreds of thousands of participants.[6]
Blancornelas, who had also lost another Zeta co-founder, Héctor Félix Miranda, to murder in 1988, stated, "I feel remorse for having created Zeta. After losing three colleagues, I believe the price has been too high. I would have liked to retire a long time ago ... [but] I cannot allow drug traffickers to think that they were able to crush Zeta's spirit, and our readers to believe that we are afraid."[3]
Zeta published a list of suspects obtained from the Attorney General of Mexico that included the Tijuana Cartel (Arellano-Félix family), Los Zetas, and Jorge Hank Rhon,[7] a businessman whose bodyguards had been convicted for killing Héctor Félix Miranda. Ortiz was Miranda's lawyer and he was seeking to reopen the case.[7]
Federal prosecutors later linked the murder to the Tijuana Cartel, leaving other options open, with Ortiz's coverage of the organization as the probable motive.
See also
- List of journalists killed in Mexico
References
- ^ a b c "Mexican editor killed by gunmen". BBC News. June 22, 2004. Archived from the original on October 3, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ "Francisco Javier Ortiz Franco". Committee to Protect Journalists. June 22, 2004. Archived from the original on September 2, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Joel Simon and Carlos Lauria (November 10, 2004). "Mexico: Free Fire Zone". The Committee to Protect Journalists. Archived from the original on September 3, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ "Reportero". PBS. 2012. Archived from the original on January 17, 2013. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ Kevin Sullivan (January 26, 2012). "Tijuana Gang Figure Held After Slaying of Journalist". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 5, 2016. Retrieved August 25, 2012.
- ^ Ginger Thompson (June 28, 2004). "Hundreds of Thousands in Mexico March Against Crime". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 26, 2012. Retrieved August 26, 2012.
- ^ a b c García Muñoz, Cecilia M. (November 2012). "La voz que incomodó a los poderosos de Tijuana". In Bosch, Lolita; Vélez Salas, Alejandro (eds.). Tú y yo coincidimos en la noche terrible. Nuestra Aparente Rendición. pp. 233–235.
- ^ Joel Simon (April 11, 2011). "In Mexico, a chance for justice". The Committee to Protect Journalists. Archived from the original on September 3, 2012. Retrieved August 25, 2012.