Citing violence against journalists, Juarez newspaper El Norte bids farewell

Juarez newspaper El Norte announced Sunday they would be closing down operations completely, citing violence against journalists as a major factor in the decision.

The final front page had a farewell letter from the owner titled !Adios! where the owner, Oscar Cantu Murguia thanked readers, explaining the decision was pushed after one of their Chihuahua City correspondents, Miroslava Breach Velducea, was gunned down outside her home on March 23.

“On this day, esteemed reader, I write to report that I have made the decision to close this daily newspaper because, among other things, we don’t have either the guarantees nor the security to exercise critical and counterbalancing journalism,” Cantu Murguia wrote.

Some readers criticized the move, claiming newspapers and journalists need to stay active to keep the public informed. Cantu Murguia wrote he was trying to find balance between the responsibilities of a news agency and protecting the lives of his reporters.

“Every life has a beginning and an end, and there’s a price to pay. If the price is life, I’m not prepared for it to be paid by a single one of my colleagues or myself,” Cantu Murgia explained.

Cantu Murguia explained the decision also took factors like financial distress into account, and denied having been threatened. Employees at the newspaper have said they did not know about the closure until reading their own front page.

Cantu Murguia said the digital arm of the organization would also be shutting down, but didn’t specify when.