MEXICO CITY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th December, 2022) Mexican television and radio news anchor Ciro Gomez Leyva said on Friday two men had opened fire at him in an apparent assassination attempt in Mexico City � another incident in a series of attacks on the country's journalists.
"At 11:10 p.m. (05:00 GMT on Friday), two people on a motorcycle opened fire at me 200 meters from my house, apparently with a clear intention of killing me. The armor of the jeep that I was driving saved my life, and I informed the authorities about this incident," the journalist wrote on his blog.
As confirmation of his words, Gomez Leyva published a photo of bullet holes in the glass of his armored jeep.
The journalist said he had no idea who could be behind the incident, as he had not received any threats, had not quarreled with neighbors, had not owed money to anyone and had never argued with anyone, except on the air of Mexico's Radio Formula.
Immediately after the assassination attempt, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum contacted the journalist and provided him with regular security. The authorities also launched investigation into the incident, Sheinbaum wrote on Twitter.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, in turn, commenting on the situation at a press conference, voiced his strong condemnation of the assassination attempt despite fundamental differences of opinion with the journalist. Obrador also expressed his support for Gomez Leyva and noted that death of such a leader of public opinion would be a serious political tragedy.
A total of 12 journalists were killed in Mexico in 2022 � the repetition of the 2017 record high, according to the Articulo 19 human rights organization. Moreover, a total of 36 media workers have been killed in the four years of the current administration.
