The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, condemned this Friday the shooting attack against the Mexican journalist Ciro Gómez Leyva, one of the most renowned radio and television news presenters in the country, who was unharmed.
"I want to send my solidarity, my support for Ciro Gómez Leyva (…) he is a leader of public opinion and damage to a personality like Ciro generates a lot of political instability"said the president in his usual morning conference.
The driver of Grupo Fórmula, also known for his criticism of the president’s government, is a frequent target of taunts from the president during his regular morning conference.
Just last Wednesday, López Obrador sarcastically stated that listening to Gómez Leyva and other journalists adverse to his management is "even harmful to health".
"We have differences, they are in the public domain, but it is completely reprehensible that an attempt is made against life"said the president this Friday, announcing that there is already "a step" in investigations into the matter.
The attack, which occurred Thursday night in Mexico City, was denounced by the same journalist.
"At 11:10 pm, 200 meters from my house, two people on a motorcycle shot at me, apparently with the clear intention of killing me."Gómez Leyva reported on Thursday from his Twitter account.
"The armor of my truck saved me"added Gómez Leyva, who shared images of the bullet impacts on the windshield, in one of the windows and in the body of his vehicle.
"I had not received any threats. As far as I know, I don’t have any personal problems with anyone."Gómez Leyva said this Friday morning in his program.
People, still unidentified, participated in the attack on a motorcycle and another vehicle, and the motive has not yet been determined, Omar García Harchuf, Secretary of Security of the Mexican capital, said in a conference, based on the analysis of security cameras. .
The attack on Gómez Leyva comes during one of the deadliest years for reporters in Mexico, with 13 of them killed so far this year, according to government data.
The country is considered one of the most dangerous in the world to practice the profession, according to the organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
Since the year 2000, more than 150 journalists have been assassinated in Mexico, according to an RSF count. These crimes, for the most part, remain unpunished.