View source for Disappearance of Alfredo Jiménez Mota

{{Short description|Kidnapping in Mexico}}
{{family name hatnote|Jiménez|Mota|lang=Spanish}}
{{Infobox person
|name               =  Alfredo Jimenez Mota
|image              =  Alfredo Jimenez Mota.jpg<!-- filename only, no "File:" or "Image:" prefix, and no enclosing [[brackets]] -->
|image_upright =
|caption            =
|native_name        =
|native_name_lang   =
|pronunciation      =
|birth_date         =  {{Birth date|1980|02|16}}
|birth_place        = Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
|baptised           =  <!-- will not display if birth_date is entered -->
|disappeared_date   =  {{disappeared date and age|2005|04|02|1980|02|16}}
|disappeared_place  = Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
|disappeared_status = {{Missing for|2005|04|02}}
|monuments          = Plaque at the Plaza del Tinaco, Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico
|education          = Communications
|alma_mater         =
|occupation         = Journalist & editor
|years_active       = 5 years
|era                =
|employer           = ''El Imparcial''
|organization       = Attorney General of Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico
|agent              =  <!-- Discouraged in most cases, specifically when promotional, and requiring a reliable source -->
|known_for          = reporting on public safety, organized crime, and government involvement in drug trafficking in the region.
|mother             =  Esperanza Mota Martinez
|father             =  Jose Jiménez Hernandez
|relatives          =  Leticia Jiménez Mota (sister)
|awards             =  International Editor of the Year, 2005
}}
'''Alfredo Jiménez Mota''' (February 16, 1980  &ndash; disappeared April 2, 2005) was a 25-year-old Mexican journalist, working for ''El Imparcial (Hermosillo)'' in the northern city of [[Hermosillo]], [[Sonora]], [[Mexico]],<ref name=proceso/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www1.sipiapa.org/casosimpunidad/alfredo-jimenez-mota/|title=Alfredo Jiménez Mota - SIP – Sociedad Interamericana de Prensa.|website=www1.sipiapa.org|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref> who went missing while investigating government involvement with [[organized crime]] and [[Drug trafficking in Mexico|drug traffickers]] in [[Sinaloa]] during the [[Mexican Drug War]]. Journalist José Reveles reported in his book, ''El cártel incómodo: El fin de los Beltrán Leyva y la hegemonía del Chapo Guzmán'', that Raúl Gutiérrez Parra, who was also later killed, ordered Los Güeros to murder Jiménez Mota as his investigations interfered with the flow of drugs through Sinaloa.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Eskp19PndbEC&q=Vuelta+al+caso+Jim%C3%A9nez+Mota|title=El cártel incómodo: El fin de los Beltrán Leyva y la hegemonía del Chapo Guzmán|author=José Reveles|date=1 June 2011|publisher=Penguin Random House Grupo Editorial México|isbn=9786073104746|via=Google Books}}</ref><ref name=eluniversalarchivo>{{cite news|url=http://archivo.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/741660.html|title=El Universal - - 'Los Güeros', responsables del caso Jiménez Mota|work=El Universal|date=February 1, 2011|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref><ref name=lapoliciaca>{{cite web|url=http://www.lapoliciaca.com/nota-roja/los-gueros-responsables-del-caso-jimenez-mota/|title='Los Güeros', responsables del caso Jiménez Mota|work=La Policiaca|date=February 1, 2011|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref>
==Personal==
Alfredo Jiménez Mota was born on February 16, 1980, in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico, where he continued to reside as a career minded bachelor. He is the only son of Esperanza Mota Martinez and Jose Alfredo Jiménez Hernandez, and the only brother of Leticia, his sister.<ref name=proceso/> Jiménez Mota began his work in the state of Sinaloa upon earning his degree at the [[Universidad de Occidente]] in [[Culiacán]], in Communication.<ref name=nuestraaparenterendicion>{{cite web|url=http://nuestraaparenterendicion.com/tuyyocoincidimosenlanocheterrible/index.php/component/k2/item/58-jose-alfredo-jimenez-mota#.WhWpLUqnFaQ|title=Tú y yo coincidimos en la noche terrible|language=es|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref> The Jiménez family are [[Catholic Church in Mexico|Catholic]] and attended Cristo Rey de [[Empalme, Sonora|Empalme]], where Jiménez Mota sang in the choir. In his early years, Jiménez Mota enjoyed boxing, weighing in at 240-pounds.<ref name=proceso/><ref name=amazonaws>{{cite web|url=https://kf-site-production.s3.amazonaws.com/publications/pdfs/000/000/013/original/Reporter_Analysis_Impunity_Project_English_lite.pdf|title=Killing News: Stories Go Untold as Latin American Journalists Die|author=Tyler Bridges|publisher=[[Amazon Web Services]]|date=October 29, 2010|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref>
==Career==
The career of Alfredo Jiménez Mota' began in newspapers while he was still a student in Culiacán, where he worked for ''El Sol de Culiacán'', ''[[El Debate (Mexico)|El Debate]]'' and ''Noroeste'', Sinaloa.<ref name=nuestraaparenterendicion/><ref name=worldpress/> and began to report in the genre of the [[nota roja]] (tabloid-style crime stories).<ref name=nuestraaparenterendicion/> He was also director of [[social communication]] at the Attorney General Office of [[Culiacán]], Sinaloa. In late 2004, Jiménez Mota joined ''El Imparcial'', where he often wrote stories dangerous enough that editors did not want to print his byline but Jiménez Mota insisted on the credit. He disappeared five months into his employment.<ref name=proceso>{{cite news|url=http://www.proceso.com.mx/400139/recuerdan-al-periodista-alfredo-jimenez-desaparecido-hace-10-anos-en-sonora|author=Milton Martínez|title=Recuerdan al periodista Alfredo Jiménez desaparecido hace 10 años en Sonora|date=April 2, 2015|publisher=[[Proceso (magazine)|Proceso]]|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref>
==Disappearance==
<!--begin wikitable-->{{Location map+|Mexico|AlternativeMap = Mexico States blank map.svg
| float = left
| position = left
| width = 280
|caption= Hermosillo is located in the state of Sonora and shown within Mexico relative to the capital Mexico City.
|alt = Hermosillo is located in Sonora, Mexico.
|places=
{{Location map~ | Mexico
|lat_deg=29 |lat_min=05 |lat_sec=56 |lat_dir=N
|lon_deg=110 |lon_min=57 |lon_sec=15 |lon_dir=W
|position=right
|background=#FFFFFF
|label=Hermosillo
}}
{{Location map~ | Mexico
|lat_deg=19 |lat_min=25 |lat_sec=57 |lat_dir=N
|lon_deg=99 |lon_min=07 |lon_sec=59 |lon_dir=W
|position=right
|background=#FFFFFF
|label=Mexico City
}}
}}<!--end wikitable-->Prior to his disappearance, Jiménez Mota was investigating the government's involvement in drug trafficking in the region of Sinaloa and possible involvement with the [[Beltrán-Leyva Cartel|Beltrán Leyva]] and [[Sinaloa Cartel|Sinaloa]] cartels, the latter involving drug lords [[Ismael Zambada García|Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada García]] and [[Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán]]. The [[United States]] [[Drug Enforcement Administration]] was also investigating drug trafficking into the US from this northern border region.<ref name=worldpress/> On April 2, 2005, Jiménez Mota was being followed and photographed, which led to him seeking refuge at Los Grillos, a restaurant at Hidalgo Square, until he could safely make his way back to his office. Prior to this incident he was receiving death threats from an unknown source which led to his vigilance on the job and in his personal life.<ref name=amazonaws/> It was later this same evening when Jiménez Mota disappeared, never to be seen nor heard from again.<ref name=washingtonpost>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A45392-2005Apr11.html|title=Spate of Attacks Targets Journalists in Mexico |date=April 30, 2012|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref> According to his friends and colleagues, Jiménez Mota failed to show up for drinks at a restaurant where they planned to speak about their days events. During his investigations, Jiménez Mota caused a stir in the State Attorney General's office by his persistence. He also angered the Police Chief while examining connections between the department and local drug trafficking. There are conflicting accounts on what happened the evening Jiménez Mota went missing. In one account, there is a letter which states the remains of Jiménez Mota could be found in one of three "safe houses" in Villa Itson.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dossierpolitico.com/vernoticiasanteriores.php?artid=38017|title=Una carta harto peligrosa|publisher=Dossier Politico|date=June 12, 2008|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://elblogdelnarco.blogspot.com/2008/07/alfredo-jimenez-mota.html|title=Alfredo Jiménez Mota|publisher=Historiador|date=July 1, 2008|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref> In another account, two women who claim to have been kidnapped but got away, say they overheard their captors speaking of Jiménez Mota being held at the same location prior to his execution.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://translate.google.com/transletate?sl=es&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Farchivo.eluniversal.com.mx%2Fnotas%2F295308.html&edit-text=|title=Continua busqueda del reportero de ''El Imparcial''|work=El Universal|date=July 22, 2005|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref> The remains of Jiménez Mota have yet to be found, no perpetrators have been charged, and the case remains unsolved.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/10/world/americas/a-war-in-mexico-drug-runners-gun-down-journalists.html|title=A War in Mexico: Drug Runners Gun Down Journalists|author=James C. McKinley Jr.|work=New York Times|date=February 10, 2006|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref>
==Context==
In an effort to silence reporters, Mexico ranks 11th of all countries, and 1st in Latin countries in cartel-related homicides of journalists.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-apr-12-fg-mexpress12-story.html|title=Investigative Journalism Proves Life-Threatening in Mexico|author=Chris Kraul|date=April 12, 2005|via=LA Times|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref> While there are many suspects in the disappearance of Alfredo Jiménez Mota, the case has never been solved. In November 2005, a suspect Raúl Enrique Parra and drug trafficker was brutally murdered.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://borderreporter.com/2007/12/the-border-report-56/|title=Secreto a Voces|author=Michel Marizco|publisher=Border Reporter|date=December 29, 2007|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref>
==Impact==
Jiménez Mota's disappearance marked the first case of missing or murdered journalists in Hermosillo, the capitol of the state of Sonora. Within days of his disappearance the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) and Rapid Response Unit (URR) began to investigate. The IAPA demanded all authorities get involved in an effort to stop the murder of journalists and to support the effort of freedom of expression.<ref name=ifex1>{{cite web|url=https://www.ifex.org/mexico/2006/04/04/report_on_disappeared_journalist/|title=Report on disappeared journalist Alfredo Jiménez Mota inaugurates anti-impunity campaign|publisher=[[IFEX (organization)|IFEX]]|date=April 4, 2006|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref> The case was taken to the Deputy Attorney General for Specialized Investigation in Organized Crime (SIEDO) where they vowed the case would be resolved. The IAPA and over 40 newspaper directors met in August 2005 to discuss solutions and build strength in journalism.<ref name=ifex2>{{cite web|url=https://ifex.org/mexico/2009/03/13/iapa_presents_investigation_into/|title=IAPA presents investigation into the disappearance of journalist Alfredo Jiménez Mota to the IACHR|publisher=IFEX|date=March 13, 2009|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref> While the reporting arm of this group—called the Phoenix Group after a similar investigative project in the United States after [[Don Bolles]] was murdered by the mafia—revealed federal and state officials could be involved in the disappearance of Jiménez Mota, the administrative arm issued the "Declaration of Hermosillo" as a set of concrete steps the state could take to ensure the safety of journalists.<ref name=ifex1/><ref name=ifex2/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.sipiapa.org/notas/1207408-alfredo-jimenez-mota-case-admitted-to-iachr|title=Alfredo Jiménez Mota case admitted to IACHR|publisher=[[Inter American Press Association]]|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://rsf.org/es/noticias/la-investigacion-sobre-la-desaparicion-de-alfredo-jimenez-mota-esta-atrancada-la-comision-nacional|title="La investigación sobre la desaparición de Alfredo Jiménez Mota está atrancada": La Comisión Nacional de Derechos Humanos interpela a las autoridades federales - Reporteros sin fronteras|website=RSF|date=2005-11-28|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref> With the growing intimidation of reporters, the IAPA published a map which provided journalists locations of high risk and safety issues.<ref name=washingtonpost/>
==Reactions==
The family of Alfredo Jiménez Mota held a memorial on the 10th anniversary of their son's disappearance with memorabilia and activities.<ref name=proceso/> The community of Hermocillo celebrated his memory by attending the unveiling of a plaque which was placed at The Plaza del Tinaco in his honor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.la-chicharra.com/?p=7014|title=Alfredo Jiménez Mota: casi doce años - La ntry Chicharra|date=March 9, 2017|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref>
In a letter to the Attorney General of Mexico, the [[Committee to Protect Journalists]] wrote, "The Committee to Protect Journalists would like to express its concern about the fate of Alfredo Jiménez Mota ... We are worried about our colleague's safety. We urge you to conduct a timely and thorough investigation, locate Jiménez, and bring him to safety. CPJ will be monitoring the investigation and respectfully asks that you make available to us any information you might have regarding this case."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cpj.org/2005/04/cpj-concerned-about-missing-crime-reporter.php|title=CPJ concerned about missing crime reporter|publisher=[[Committee to Protect Journalists]]|date=April 14, 2005|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref>
Colleagues of Jiménez Mota demanded the Attorney General of the Republic (PGR) to step up its investigation. The consensus in the media community was those who were possibly involved, were sweeping the case under the rug.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/2005/04/19/ultima/1113861601_850215.html|title=Reportaje - Los narcos disparan a la prensa|author=Francesc Relea|date=April 19, 2005|work=El Pais}}</ref> Since the disappearance of Jiménez Mota, the fight to "quiet" the press has made reporting difficult.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uniradioinforma.com/noticias/sonora/articulo472785.html|title=Mordaza contra la prensa se ha vuelto más brutal: José Alfredo Jiménez|trans-title=Gag against the press has become more brutal: José Alfredo Jiménez|language=es|publisher=UniradioInforma|date=March 31, 2017|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref>
[[Koïchiro Matsuura]], director-general of [[UNESCO]], said in a statement that also included Jiménez Mota, "Crimes against journalists and editors constitute a grievous offence against democracy."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://portal.unesco.org/en/ev.php-URL_ID=34244&URL_DO=DO_TOPIC&URL_SECTION=201.html|title=UNESCO - Director-General condemns murder of Mexican editor Enrique Perea Quintanilla|publisher=UNESCO Press|date=August 17, 2006|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref>
==Awards==
Mota was posthumously awarded the [[International Editor of the Year Award|International Editor Award]] 2005 for his bravery in journalism.<ref name=worldpress>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldpress.org/Americas/2596.cfm|title=2005-2006 International Editor of the Year Award|publisher=[[World Press Review]]|date=December 11, 2006|access-date=November 22, 2017}}</ref>
==See also==
*[[List of people who disappeared mysteriously: 1990–present|List of people who disappeared]]
*[[List of journalists and media workers killed in Mexico]]
*[[List of kidnappings]]
*[[Human rights in Mexico]]
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
*Colin Brayton, [https://cbrayton.wordpress.com/2007/01/24/the-murder-of-alfred-jiminez-mota/ "The Rubbing Out of Alfred Jiménez Mota, Journalist"] January 24, 2007.
{{Mexican Drug War}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jimenez Mota, Alfredo}}
<!--- Categories --->
[[Category:2000s missing person cases]]
[[Category:Disappeared journalists]]
[[Category:Enforced disappearances in Mexico]]
[[Category:Investigative journalists]]
[[Category:Kidnapped Mexican people]]
[[Category:Kidnappings in Mexico]]
[[Category:Male journalists]]
[[Category:Mexican journalists]]
[[Category:Missing person cases in Mexico]]
[[Category:People from Hermosillo]]
[[Category:Universidad Autónoma de Occidente (Mexico) alumni]]
[[Category:Unsolved crimes in Mexico]]
[[Category:Victims of the Mexican Drug War]]