MEXICO.— Mexican authorities have confirmed the death of the editor of a Nuevo Laredo newspaper.
The body of Maria Elizabeth Macias Castro, the editor-in-chief of Primera Hora, was found decapitated next to a statue of Christopher Columbus in Nuevo Laredo with a message attacking the use of social media to report drug cartel violence.
The message read: “Ok Nuevo Laredo live on the social networks, I am La Nena de Laredo and I am here because of my reports and yours … for those who don’t want to believe it, this has happened to me because of my actions, because I trusted SEDENA (the army) and MARINA (the navy)… Thank you for your attention. Att: La Nena de Laredo… zzz.”
Reporters Without Borders said that Macias used online social networks to report on organized crime along the border and blogged under the name “La Nena de Nuevo Laredo.”
The letter “Z” in the message allegedly refers to the Zetas drug cartel, a gang created by ex-military combatants who are known for their brutal killings and executions.
It is unclear how the killers discovered Macias’ true identity.
Macias-Castro is the third person in Nuevo Laredo to be murdered and left with a message stating not to use blogs or social media to report about drug cartels.
Two other bloggers were found dead hanging from a bridge in Nuevo Laredo on September 14. The attackers left threats mentioning two websites on signs beside the mutilated bodies, the messages indicated that they had also been killed in retaliation for their social network postings.
October 4, 2011
Mexico, North America