Regina Martínez Pérez (1963-2012) was a fearless Mexican journalist who fought against censorship, even at the cost of her own safety.
This month of Encyclopedia Womannica is brought to you by Macy’s. In 1976, the US government introduced Black History Month to honor the achievements and cultural richness of the African-American community — something Macy’s is passionate about throughout February and year round. You can shop Black-owned businesses available at Macy’s at macys.com/honors, and head to that link to find a range of charities that empower Black youth. It’s just one way Macy’s is committed to infusing inclusivity in everything they do.
Every weekday, listeners explore the trials, tragedies, and triumphs of groundbreaking women throughout history who have dramatically shaped the world around us. In each 5 minute episode, we’ll dive into the story behind one woman listeners may or may not know -- but definitely should. These diverse women from across space and time are grouped into easily accessible and engaging monthly themes like Leading Ladies, Activists, STEMinists, Local Legends, and many more. Encyclopedia Womannica is hosted by WMN co-founder and award-winning journalist Jenny Kaplan. The bite-sized episodes pack painstakingly researched content into fun, entertaining, and addictive daily adventures.
Encyclopedia Womannica was created by Liz Kaplan and Jenny Kaplan, executive produced by Jenny Kaplan, and produced by Liz Smith, Cinthia Pimentel, Grace Lynch, Maddy Foley, and Brittany Martinez. Special thanks to Shira Atkins, Edie Allard, and Carmen Borca-Carrillo.
We are offering free ad space on Wonder Media Network shows to organizations working towards social justice. For more information, please email Jenny at jenny@wondermedianetwork.com.
Follow Wonder Media Network:
Hello! From Wonder Media Network, I’m Jenny Kaplan. And this is Encyclopedia Womannica.
Today, we’re talking about a fearless Mexican journalist who fought against censorship, even at the cost of her own safety. She put her stories first, delivering some of the only unedited reporting on Mexican drug cartels and corrupt government officials in recent decades. Her work had enormous repercussions for journalism and social justice, even after her untimely death. Today, we’re talking about Regina Martínez Pérez.
Regina was born on September 7th, 1963, in a small town called Rafael Lucio in Veracruz. Though she left Veracruz after graduating high school, she knew the area well and would return to it for her most in-depth reporting.
Regina attended the Universidad Veracruzana for journalism and immediately got a job at a rural TV station in the nearby state of Chiapas. The company was state-owned, and Regina soon found her stories were subject to heavy censorship. After demanding better working conditions, and realizing her situation would not improve there, she left to pursue a career in print media. Regina spent five years working in Chiapas before deciding to return to Veracruz.
Back in her home state, Regina found her knowledge of the area and its politics gave her a great advantage in reporting. Veracruz was home to large drug trafficking organizations and government corruption. Publications often self-censored for fear of invoking retaliation based on coverage. Regina, however, found success doing just the opposite: she became an outspoken critic of human rights violations and abuses of authority, and published in-depth reporting on drug trafficking in the area.
Regina worked for several local papers that attempted to censor her work, gaining experience as she moved from one publication to another. She also worked as a crime reporter for papers in the state’s capital, and used her knowledge of the area as a local correspondent for larger publications.
Eventually, Regina began writing for “Proceso,” a magazine well-known for shunning censorship and publishing anti-establishment content. Regina wrote for Proceso for more than ten years, making her mark with investigations into the price of organized crime.
Veracruz, however, was, and is, an incredibly dangerous place for journalists.Since 2000, 28 journalists have been killed in the region, and another 8 have gone missing.
By the 2000s, Regina had published over 60 reports detailing state violence and abuses of power. Her articles detailed clear links between government officials, police, and drug cartels in the area.
According to the Forbidden Stories Cartel Project, a network of journalists created with the mission of sharing stories of journalists who are threatened, Regina began investigating the whereabouts of Veracruz’s disappeared -- people who had gone missing under suspicious circumstances in 2011. Estimates place the number of Veracruz’s disappeared between 24,000 and 25,000 people. Regina had started to identify the location of these peoples’ remains, and had started to investigate whether state authorities had played a hand in their death.
On April 28, 2012, Regina’s investigation was cut short when she was found murdered in her home. She had been strangled, and some possessions had been removed from her house. She was 48 years old.
Regina’s death quickly became a contested event of government violence. A suspect who publicly confessed to the murder was arrested in October, but he later recanted his statement and told outlets he’d been tortured into his confession. Additionally, no DNA evidence linked him, or any other known criminals, to the scene. Mexican authorities closed the investigation after labeling it a theft, even though Regina’s most valuable possessions had been left behind.
Proceso appointed a top journalist to cover the investigation, but this reporter also became a target for violence.
In the wake of Regina’s death, the Committee to Protect Journalists, Proceso, and other journalists questioned the legitimacy of the case’s proceedings. In June of 2012, former President Felipe Calderon signed the “Law for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists,” which makes attacks against journalists a federal crime and implements preventative measures to protect journalists.
Proceso called the murder the “result of a broken country, a situation of daily violence in which extreme acts are not the exception but the rule daily.”
Since Regina’s passing, one of her friends has organized a yearly march in front of the governor’s palace on the day of her death.
All month, we’re talking about journalists.
For more on why we’re doing what we’re doing, check out our newsletter Womannica Weekly.
Follow us on facebook and instagram @encyclopediawomannica.
Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator.
Talk to you tomorrow!