Another Mexican journalist shot dead

Four days ago I reported that Mexico had the worst record in Latin America for the safety of journalists. Seven were killed in the country in 2011 plus a further three media workers. Now comes news of the first murder of 2012. Gunmen shot Raul Quirino Garza, a municipal employee who also worked for local weekly newspaper La Ultima Palabra. Quirino Garza was shot while driving a new car in the municipality of Cadereyta in the state of Monterrey. International Press Institute (IPI) executive director Alison Bethel McKenzie said the murder "is a grim reminder this early in the year of how dangerous it is to be a media worker in Mexico." IPI last week labelled Mexico the most dangerous country in the world for journalists in 2011. Sources: AP/ IPI