Mexico City — Mexican politicians and officials are increasingly using civil, criminal and electoral laws to sue, fine and harass journalists, according to a report by The New York Times, a strategy press freedom groups call censorship through the legal system.
Groups such as Article 19 and R3D say officials, political parties and candidates have turned to legal proceedings to go after reporters. In some cases, journalists have been accused of terrorism, forced to delete publications or subjected to court orders restricting their coverage.
Article 19 documented 69 such cases in 2025, the highest number on record and more than triple the figure from the previous year. The organization says these actions aim to financially and legally exhaust journalists and media outlets, creating a chilling effect that leads to self-censorship.
Mexico has long been one of the most dangerous countries in the world for the press, with nearly 180 journalists killed since 2000, according to press freedom groups.
The Inter American Press Association recently placed Mexico in the “high restriction” category on its freedom of expression index, citing an increase in the use of legal tools by public officials to limit criticism and journalistic scrutiny.
Experts warn that beyond the physical violence that has historically plagued the Mexican press, a more sophisticated form of censorship is emerging — one based on litigation, financial penalties and judicial orders that could deter coverage of matters of public interest.
