Mexican journalists released from captivity, press organization reports

In a statement released on Saturday, the international free-speech group Article 19 announced that two out of three journalists who were kidnapped in southern Mexico have been freed unharmed, bringing a glimmer of hope in this tragic incident.

Silvia Arce and Alberto Sanchez, the leaders of the digital RedSiete platform, were reportedly released during the early hours of the morning, the organization confirmed.

According to testimonies collected by Article 19, the journalists were abducted on Wednesday by armed men who stormed the outlet’s central Taxco offices.

While the release of Arce and Sanchez has been confirmed by people close to them, further details are being withheld at this time, as confirmed by Pedro Cardenas, a member of the press group.

Meanwhile, journalist Marco Toledo, director of the weekly El Espectador de Taxco, remains in captivity along with his son, as his wife was released by the captors.

Reassuringly, the woman who was set free has not suffered physical violence, as reported by individuals close to Toledo.

On Thursday, the attorney general’s office in the state of Guerrero announced that they were in the process of investigating the disappearance of five individuals in the tourist town of Taxco, including journalists Toledo, Arce, and Sanchez.

As the news unfolds, it is with a heavy heart that we acknowledge the dangerous reality for journalists in Mexico, a country labeled as one of the deadliest for reporters. According to Article 19, five journalists have been killed so far this year, while last year marked the deadliest period since 2000, with 13 journalists murdered.

(Reporting by Adriana Barrera; Writing by Valentine Hilaire; Editing by Daniel Wallis)