Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) 29 October 2018
Thousands of migrants that are part of a caravan that departed San Pedro Sula in Honduras for the U.S. on October 13, 2018, are currently in southern Mexico. As the caravan attempts to cross Mexico, the risk increases for any journalists accompanying it.
Based on previous caravans, numbers may dwindle and individuals may take different routes to get to the U.S. However, migrants can be vulnerable to criminals and cartels--who kidnap, extort, and force vulnerable groups into prostitution and illegal activities--as well as law enforcement and migration officials. Human traffickers known as "Coyotes" are likely to be in close proximity to the caravan. The risk of physical violence and rape is high for migrants. Journalists accompanying them, particularly the local press, are potentially also exposed.
Risk-assessmentJournalists who plan on following a migratory route should research the groups controlling the route and conduct risk assessments accordingly.
The Zetas criminal network is one of the most active in terms of targeting migrants and represents a significant threat to anyone operating in areas under its control. Cartel control can be fluid and areas that are contested by different groups will be particularly prone to violence. As a general indicator of cartel areas of dominance, journalists should consult this BBC map or InsightCrime, which provides updates about organized crime in Mexico and Latin America.
Journalists could also be impacted by migration police and authorities involved in Mexico's Southern Border plan to restrict migration. Numerous checkpoints along major routes have been set up and journalists are likely to be stopped and identification requested. Migrants are vulnerable to corruption from local law enforcement, according to reports. Journalists could also be at risk from corrupt officials.
At least one journalist has been injured during clashes between migrants and officials. A Twitter post said that Mexican journalist Maria de Jesús Peters was injured during a clash between migrants and the Mexican federal police on a border bridge between Guatemala and Mexico on October 19, 2018.
More:
https://ifex.org/mexico/2018/10/29/safety-advisory-migrant-caravan/
