Mexico: RSF and Propuesta Cívica unveil mural honouring journalist Miroslava Breach and call for justice for crimes against journalists
To commemorate the eighth anniversary of the assassination of journalist Miroslava Breach Velducea, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), its local partner Propuesta Cívica, the journalist’s family, fellow journalists, and press freedom defenders inaugurated the mural “El silencio es complicidad” ("Silence is Complicity") in Mexico City. RSF and Propuesta Cívica welcome the commitments made on this emblematic day by the Mexican government and reiterate their demand for full justice in Miroslava Breach’s case, a necessary step toward ending the impunity that continues to endanger journalists across the country.
Painted by Veracruz artist Armando Hernández Ascoaga, also known as “Riesk,” the mural stands in Plaza Francisco Zarco — a symbolic space for press freedom and journalism. It depicts Miroslava Breach with a firm and hopeful gaze, reflecting her enduring fight for truth and justice. The artwork pays tribute to her legacy and denounces the impunity that persists for crimes against journalists in Mexico. This impunity emboldens those who target media professionals, and three journalists have been murdered since the beginning of Claudia Sheinbaun’s mandate in October 2024.
On the same day as the unveiling, 21 March 2025, RSF and Propuesta Cívica participated in a high-level meeting with Mexico’s Interior Minister (SEGOB), Rosa Icela Rodríguez, attended by the Undersecretary for Human Rights, Population and Migration Arturo Medina; the Head of the Human Rights Unit and National Executive Coordinator of the Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists Froylán Vladimir Enciso Higuera; and Director general of the Mechanism Tobyanne Ledesma. During the meeting, the actors pledged to ensure the reparations process is swiftly carried out.
“The mural not only honors Miroslava’s memory as a courageous woman journalist, it also reminds us that silence enables impunity. It is a call to keep raising our voices against injustice and to remember all the journalists who have been killed for informing the public. RSF and Propuesta Cívica welcome the commitments made on this emblematic day by the Mexican government, who promised to ensure that the family is able to expedite the reparations process, and the Undersecretary for Human Rights, Population and Migration to personally supervise this process.
"Miroslava’s heart stopped, but her words continue to echo. Her struggle for truth inspires journalists and a society that refuses to be silenced.
Miroslava Breach was a prominent investigative journalist who reported for La Jornada and El Norte, known for exposing corruption, drug trafficking, and human rights abuses in the state of Chihuahua. Her work revealed that criminal groups infiltrated local politics, particularly in the Sierra Tarahumara region. On 23 March 2017, she was shot and killed outside her home while waiting to take her son to school. Despite previous threats, she had no protection, and state authorities failed to act on known risks.
RSF and Propuesta Cívica have provided legal support to Miroslava Breach’s family since the beginning of the investigation into her murder. Their efforts helped secure a 52-year prison sentence for Juan Carlos Moreno Ochoa (“El Larry”), one of the perpetrators. However, the other people involved — including those who ordered the murder — remain at large. The investigation into political complicity in this case remains incomplete, and justice has yet to be fully served.
The mural’s unveiling was attended by members of Miroslava’s family, journalists, civil society representatives, the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and members of the diplomatic corps.
