Mérida, Yucatán — A bullfighting promoter has been accused of threatening a journalist who covered weekend protests over bullfighting in Mérida, the latest in a series of confrontations that also included allegations of xenophobic comments against members of the press.
Diana Peniche Marenco sent a private Facebook message to journalist Herbeth Escalante on Sunday night saying, “We know where you are,” according to the journalist. She also accused him of lying in his coverage and of trying to “ride the coattails” of famous people, and questioned his impartiality and professionalism.
When Escalante offered her an email address to submit a response, she replied that it “was not necessary.”
Peniche Marenco also directed xenophobic remarks at other journalists, including David Rico, director of the outlet Líneas Emergentes, who documented the demonstration on Paseo de Montejo. She had previously posted messages on Facebook accusing Escalante of sending “pseudo-journalists” to provoke her, and launched further insults at those covering the protest.
Clashes at Monumento a la Patria
The new messages came after a confrontation on Sunday at the Monumento a la Patria, where animal rights activists and bullfighting supporters clashed. The anti-bullfighting demonstration was called to support legal appeals that have halted bullfighting events in several municipalities in Yucatán.
During the protest, journalists said Peniche Marenco shoved two female reporters from behind as they were working. When reporters later tried to question her about the incident, she left the scene. Security personnel intervened to prevent the situation from escalating.
Michel Luis Carlos Lagravere Peniche, a former bullfighter known as “Michelito” and the son of Diana Peniche, later posted a video on social media apologizing for some of the remarks he made during the protest. He had called the activists “a handful of people” and had a verbal exchange with one of them.
