Defective Democracy, Erosion of Press Freedom, and the Perils of Being a Journalist in Mexico Two Decades After the Democratic Transition

Democracies are losing ground around the globe. As a result, inequalities in individual and collective freedoms have persisted in societies. This chapter explores how the traits of a defective democracy have eroded press freedom in Mexico for more than 20 years. That is, contrary to the national and international expectations, after the democratic transition, Mexican journalists face increasing blatant hazard when they do their job. Drawing on 93 interviews with news workers from the most dangerous states of the country, the central argument is that anti-press violence found in Mexico the ideal ground to flourish: on the one hand, there are inherent risks associated with the practice of journalism, such as adopting a watchdog role and, hence, keeping authorities and powerful groups accountable. On the other hand, however, those risks become extremely dangerous in a context of a defective democracy with high levels of structural violence, clientelism, and collusion between government and de facto powers. This is particularly evident at the subnational level, where the transition fostered the strengthening of local political strongholds, to the detriment of citizens’ right to know and authorities’ obligation to inform.