Second journalist shot dead in a week in Mexico's Tijuana

The killing came less than a week after officials reported that Mexican photojournalist Margarito Martinez, 49, died after being shot in the head outside his home in Tijuana. A second source with knowledge of the case said Maldonado had been registered in the state's protection program for journalists, which included some police surveillance of her home.

A Mexican journalist was shot dead in the northern border city of Tijuana on Sunday, a government official said, becoming the second killed in the area within a week.

Lourdes Mandonado, a journalist with decades of experience, died from a gunshot to the head while in her car, parked in front of her home in Tijuana, the official from the state of Baja California told Reuters. The killing came less than a week after officials reported that Mexican photojournalist Margarito Martinez, 49, died after being shot in the head outside his home in Tijuana.

A second source with knowledge of the case said Maldonado had been registered in the state's protection program for journalists, which included some police surveillance of her home. Maldonado was the third journalist killed this year in Mexico.

From 2000 to 2021, human rights group Article 19 has registered 145 murders of journalists in Mexico, with seven deaths last year.