Another journalist has been killed in Mexico, drawing global attention to the hazards independent media faces in the Latin American country.
Armando Linares, the director of Monitor Michoacan, was shot dead at a house in Mexico's Zitacuaro on Tuesday, marking the seventh death of a media person in the country this year.
Before Linares' death, Roberto Toledo, who worked in the same media outlet, was also killed in January.
Linares Received Threats
Linares had announced Toledo's death on social media and had stressed that his media outlet was receiving threats as it was involved in revealing the corruption in the local government.
Linares' death was announced by the attorney general's office of Michoacan state, which has recently witnessed power tussles between the illicit drugs, which are heavily armed, and try increasing their control on the market with the help of the local government.
It has also been revealed that Linares had received threats earlier but there was no immediate information over the motive behind the killing.
Eighth in Row
Before Linare's death, seven journalists have been killed in Mexico this year.
Juan Carlos Muniz, who worked for Testigo Minero news outlet, was killed by gunmen in early March.
In late February, the director of an online news site Jorge Camero was killed in Mexico's northern state of Sonora.
In the southern state of Oaxaca, the director of the online news site Noticias Web, Heber Lopez was killed in early February.
In January, Lourdes Maldonado Lopez, reporter Jose Luis Gamboa and crime photographer Margarito MartÃnez were killed in separate incidents.
Global response
The alarming rise in the killing of the Mexican journalist has invited criticisms from the world with many countries and blocs urging Mexico to ramp up journalists' security.
American and European lawmakers have called on the Mexican government to ensure the safety of journalists in the country.
Last week, EU Parliament had also approved a resolution asking Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to be less antagonistic with the media.
