Human Rights and Civil Society

Mexican journalist seeks political asylum in U.S. after being kidnapped and released

09/15/10 – On July 23, 2010, four journalists were kidnapped in the state of Durango. One week later, two of the reporters were released following negotiations with the Sinaloa cartel; the remaining two were later rescued by the federal police.

This week, one of the four journalists kidnapped then, Televisa cameraman Alejandro Hernández Pacheco, stated that he was looking for political asylum in the United States. Pacheco was accompanied by his attorney as he made the following statements from El Paso, Texas, “I am afraid of the cartels and the government, who took care of for only 20 days… they offered to relocate me, but the bad folks have contacts everywhere.”

Pacheco also said that he fears for his life after the Mexican government “exposed them [journalists]” too much following his release. He claims that they presented them to national and international media without prior notice and that it was not a part of the deal that both groups had agreed upon.

Sources:

El Universal. “Camarógrafo de Televisa pide asilo en EU.” El Universal. September 15, 2010.

Ansalatina. “CAMAROGRAFO MEXICANO PIDE ASILO EN EEUU.” Ansalatina. September 15, 2010.

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