A journalist who was exposing the drug cartels was murdered and left on a highway / Next to it, the police found a short message
Police in Mexico. Image for illustrative purposes: AA/ABACA / Abaca Press / Profimedia
A message was found next to the body that read, according to local media: “Because you spread false accusations against the people of Durango,” writes CNN.
A Mexican journalist who wrote about drug cartels was found dead on a highway on Saturday with a message next to him, the publication he worked for reported.
The body of Miguel Ángel Beltrán was wrapped in a blanket on a highway that connects Durango state to Mazatlán, a city in Sinaloa state, according to the Contexto de Durango news site.
The news agency reported that the journalist was identified by his son, who last saw him on Thursday when the two left for work.
A message was found next to the body that read, according to local media: “Because you spread false accusations against the people of Durango.”
CNN could not independently confirm the content of the message, but such notes are often left by cartels as warnings to anyone who dares to break their rules.
Beltrán has worked for various media outlets, including Contexto. He also had a blog and a TikTok account where he wrote about crime news and other topics.
A few days before his death, he posted a video on TikTok about the arrest of a suspected gang leader.
“We deeply regret the death of our fellow journalist, Miguel Ángel Beltrán,” Contexto said in a statement. “The Contexto de Durango team joins the pain that overwhelms his family and friends, wishing them strength in the face of this irreparable loss,” the newsroom said.
Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders.
Beltrán is the ninth journalist killed in the country this year, according to the organization.
The Inter-American Press Association condemned Beltrán's death and urged authorities to “ensure that his killing will not go unpunished.”
