Telésforo Santiago Enríquez

Telésforo Santiago Enríquez (died May 2, 2019) was a Mexican radio journalist and professor of Indigenous education in Oaxaca who was ambushed and shot dead.

Telésforo Santiago Enriquez worked as a school teacher and as a professor of Indigenous education.^[1][2]

He founded the community Indigenous radio station ″El Cafetal″ in the southern Indigenous region of Mexico, in the Municipality of San Agustín Loxicha, Oaxaca state.^[2][3] He sought to preserve indigenous traditions and the Zapotec language and to protect the rights of indigenous people through the radio.^[4] According to a statement by Mexico's National Human Rights Commission after his death, he criticized local government for diverting public funds.^[4]

On May 2, 2019, the eve of World Press Freedom Day, he was fatally shot in the mouth and heart. His dead body was found in a vehicle that afternoon. Authorities reported that he had been driving in the neighborhood of Ampliación Tres Cruces when he was ambushed and killed.^[1][2][3][4] He had been threatened in February 2019^[4] and had recently received an anonymous threat on his live call-in talk show when he was criticizing local government.^[5]

The authorities of Costa Region started an investigation into the murder.^[1] Jesús Ramírez Cuevas, a spokesman for the President of Mexico, said the Mexican government was committed to protect journalism in Mexico and would make every effort to find the murderers.^[5][6]

In response to the shooting, international journalist organisations expressed outrage at the situation in Mexico, where journalists are often killed. Reporters Without Borders issued a statement on 3 May, emphasizing his work for human rights;^[4] Emmanuel Colombie, head of the organization's Latin America branch, said: ″This latest murder is a reminder of how dangerous it is to practice journalism in Mexico″.^[5]

• List of unsolved murders