Miami (January 9, 2026) – The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) strongly condemns the murder of journalist Carlos Castro, which occurred in the city of Poza Rica, in the state of Veracruz. The crime adds to a long chain of attacks against reporters that remain unpunished. The organization warns that the recurrence of these acts reflects structural failures in protection and justice systems, and urges Mexican authorities to carry out an immediate, thorough, and transparent investigation to identify and punish all those responsible—both material perpetrators and masterminds—and to break the cycle of impunity that continues to threaten the practice of journalism in the country.
On the night of January 8, Castro, director of the Facebook news outlet Código Norte Veracruz, was shot by unknown assailants who entered a restaurant owned by his family in Poza Rica, Veracruz, according to press reports.
The 26-year-old journalist covered security issues and contributed with several media outlets, including Vanguardia, Noreste, La Opinión de Poza Rica, and Enfoque. He had reported receiving threats and in 2024 was granted protection measures by state authorities, which, according to local media, had been withdrawn months before the crime.
“We deeply regret this new crime and express our solidarity with the journalist’s family, colleagues, and loved ones,” said Pierre Manigault, president of the IAPA. “The murder of a journalist not only silences a voice but also violates society’s right to be informed. Failing to punish these crimes sends a message of tolerance toward violence against the press,” added Manigault, president of Evening Post Publishing Inc. of Charleston, South Carolina, United States.
For her part, Martha Ramos, chair of the IAPA’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information, stated that “Veracruz continues to be one of the most dangerous regions for the press in Mexico, and Castro’s murder once again highlights the severe vulnerability under which journalists work, especially at the local level, as well as the persistent levels of impunity that encourage the repetition of these attacks.” Ramos, editorial director of Organización Editorial Mexicana (OEM), emphasized that “it is imperative that federal and state authorities act diligently and without delay, considering from the outset the victim’s journalistic work as a priority line of investigation.”
The IAPA directors reiterate their call on Mexican authorities to strengthen protection mechanisms for journalists, guarantee safe conditions for news reporting, and effectively combat the impunity surrounding crimes against the press.
Castro’s murder is the first recorded in Mexico in 2026. According to Alianza de Medios MX, since 2025 a series of attacks, threats, and cases of judicial harassment against journalists have been reported in the state of Veracruz, including that of journalist Rafael León Segovia, who was charged with the crimes of concealment by aiding and offenses against public security institutions in incidents linked to his journalistic work, and was placed under house arrest for one year, according to an IAPA statement.
The IAPA’s most recent report on the state of press freedom in Mexico warns that journalistic activity continues to take place in a context marked by high levels of generalized violence. In that scenario, the report released by the IAPA in October recorded the killing of three individuals indirectly linked to informal information platforms and social media in 2024. However, available evidence indicates that these incidents were not related to their communicational activity, but rather to the climate of insecurity and violence that broadly affects Mexican society.
The IAPA is a non-profit organization dedicated to defending and promoting freedom of the press and expression in the Americas. It comprises more than 1,300 publications from the western hemisphere and is based in Miami, Florida, United States.
