RSF outraged over journalist's murder

(RSF/IFEX) - In a letter to Minister of the Interior Santiago Creel Miranda, RSF expressed outrage over the assassination of Félix Alonso Fernández García, editor of the weekly "Nueva Opción", on 18 January 2002 in Miguel Alemán city, Tamaulipas state (north-eastern Mexico). "This assassination is a testament to the difficult situation faced by journalists in that part of the country, where they must battle drug traffickers," stated RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard. Moreover, the organisation asked the minister to do everything possible to ensure that those responsible are identified and punished. According to information gathered by RSF, Fernández García, editor of the weekly "Nueva Opción", distributed in Tamaulipas State (north-eastern Mexico), was shot dead on 18 January in Miguel Alemán city, in Tamaulipas State. The journalist had recently reported in "Nueva Opción" on alleged relations between former Mayor Miguel Alemán, Raúl Rodríguez Barrera and drug traffickers. In 2001, the journalist had informed police of these relations. A few days before his death, the journalist had accused the former mayor of wanting to kill him. Two bodyguards had been protecting Fernández García and were present the day he was killed. The journalist had previously worked at a daily owned by Rodríguez Barrera, before joining the daily "Nueva Opción".