191:, a prominent businessman in Tijuana, for ordering the assassination of his co-worker. By 1997, two of Rhon's body guards were arrested and serving prison time for the crime, but the Mexican authorities never confirmed who had ordered the execution. In court, the bodyguards professed their innocence and said that they were "tortured into confessing." After several years, the investigation was closed, but suspicions remain about whether the investigation of the case was all-inclusive and about the involvement of Hank Rhon and other politicians in
226:
On April 30 and May 1, 2015, Victoriano Medina Moreno and
Antonio Vera Palestina, the two assassins, were released from prison after fulfilling their 27-year sentence. Both of them were security guards at the Agua Caliente Racetrack, owned by Hank Rhon. Félix Miranda wrote articles about the alleged
214:
and on the drug trade than many other
Mexican newspapers. In response to the death of his colleague, Blancornelas issued an ad pressuring the Baja California that read the following, "Jorge Hank Rhon: Why did your bodyguards assassinate me?" in reference to the death of Félix Miranda.
33:
198:
Félix
Miranda was known in Mexico for his humorous reporting tone that satirized the corrupt doings of local and state officials in his column. Among his favorite targets was Hank Rhon, the famous race track owner and son of the former Agriculture Secretary of the state,
141:. Through the magazine, the pair continued their investigation into organized crime and corruption. Félix contributed a column titled "A Little of Something", in which he satirized and criticized government officials, particularly those of the long-ruling
280:
124:
and wrote under the name "Félix el Gato" ("Felix the Cat") to criticize local politicians. These columns eventually angered Baja
California's state government and Mexico's former President
156:
Félix was assassinated on April 20, 1988, when a car cut in front of him in traffic; another vehicle pulled alongside, and Félix was hit with multiple shotgun blasts. Two guards from
183:, but many of those involved in the drug trade disliked him. While he was traveling to work on April 20, 1988, Félix Miranda was shot and killed by a gunman. After his death,
179:
Félix
Miranda's sassy, humorous, and provocative writing style on issues covering corruption and drug trafficking earned him a lot of popularity among many readers in
272:
171:
masthead, marked with a black cross. He also published a full-page ad in every issue under Félix's "byline", asking Hank Rhon why Félix had been murdered.
548:
756:
741:
387:
518:
309:
746:
245:
200:
231:
directorship condemned the fact that state authorities have closed the case and not identified the mastermind of Félix
Miranda's murder.
160:
were later convicted of the murder. In protest of the killing, as well as those of 28 other journalists since the election of
President
751:
142:
703:
522:
187:
published articles from his newspaper with Félix
Miranda's name as the copublisher – as if he were alive. Blancornelas accused
218:
Over the years, Blancornelas received numerous death threats, a murder attempt, and international press rewards for his work.
128:
to the point that the government ordered
Blancornelas to fire Félix and banned its distribution. When Blancornelas refused, a
682:
659:
637:
612:
590:
414:
210:
Blancornelas, Félix
Miranda's writing partner, continued his aggressive writing style and published more articles on the
164:, a national journalism organization boycotted a Press Freedom Day ceremony at which la Madrid had been slated to speak.
116:
magazine, which reported on corruption and drug trafficking. In the late 1970s, he began to work for the daily newspaper
351:
582:
125:
69:
204:
157:
240:
731:
184:
121:
736:
161:
32:
629:
526:
305:
379:
678:
655:
633:
608:
586:
356:
674:
575:
203:. The journalist once published in one of his columns that Rhon had laundered money at his
132:
team was sent to take over the paper's offices on the pretext of settling a labor dispute.
707:
192:
188:
146:
137:
112:
90:
698:
211:
110:(c. 1941 – April 20, 1988) was a Mexican journalist and columnist of the Tijuana-based
46:
725:
623:
651:
150:
410:
604:
549:"Con liberación de asesinos de Héctor Félix Miranda, se consuma impunidad"
519:"Nueva revisión de expediente de periodista asesinado en 1988 en México"
180:
380:"Jesús Blancornelas, 70, Who Reported on Mexico's Drug Violence, Dies"
352:"Jesus Blancornelas, 70; writer exposed actions of drug cartels"
129:
135:
In 1980, Blancornelas and Félix co-founded the weekly magazine
711:
273:"Tijuana Journal; 'The Cat' Clawed Many; Is One His Murderer?"
227:
irregularities that took place in the racing circuit. The
436:
434:
432:
453:
451:
449:
97:
85:
77:
54:
39:
23:
574:
409:Joel Simon and Carlos Lauria (November 10, 2004).
308:. International Press Institute. August 25, 2012.
167:As of 2004, Blancornelas left Félix's name on the
625:Human Rights in México: A Policy of Impunity]
493:
8:
378:James C. McKinley, Jr. (November 25, 2006).
153:mayor and the owner of a Tijuana racetrack.
31:
20:
505:
481:
469:
440:
413:. The Committee to Protect Journalists.
256:
577:[Latin Politics, Global Media]
417:from the original on September 3, 2012
266:
264:
262:
260:
671:The Killing Fields: Harvest of Women]
345:
343:
341:
339:
312:from the original on November 2, 2012
300:
298:
7:
457:
246:List of journalists killed in Mexico
330:
551:(in Spanish). Zeta. April 30, 2015
350:Hector Tobar (November 24, 2006).
283:from the original on March 6, 2016
14:
669:Washington Valdez, Diana (2006).
390:from the original on July 9, 2019
143:Institutional Revolutionary Party
757:20th-century Mexican journalists
742:Assassinated Mexican journalists
523:Inter American Press Association
145:(PRI). He particularly targeted
1:
525:. May 1, 2015. Archived from
271:Larry Rohter (July 1, 1988).
306:"World Press Freedom Heroes"
747:Deaths by firearm in Mexico
773:
600:Collings, Anthony (2001).
706:January 17, 2013, at the
583:University of Texas Press
30:
752:Mexican male journalists
411:"Mexico: Free Fire Zone"
70:Tijuana, Baja California
647:Weinberg, Bill (2002).
622:Lutz, Ellen L. (1990).
573:Fox, Elizabeth (2002).
205:Agua Caliente Racetrack
494:Washington Valdez 2006
241:Francisco Ortiz Franco
158:Hank Rhon's racetrack
201:Carlos Hank González
108:Héctor Félix Miranda
101:columns, 1988 murder
25:Héctor Félix Miranda
162:Miguel de la Madrid
126:José López Portillo
630:Human Rights Watch
384:The New York Times
277:The New York Times
185:Jesús Blancornelas
149:, son of a former
122:Jesús Blancornelas
16:Mexican journalist
357:Los Angeles Times
105:
104:
764:
688:
675:Peace Hill Press
673:(1st ed.).
665:
650:(1st ed.).
643:
628:(1st ed.).
618:
603:(1st ed.).
596:
581:(1st ed.).
580:
561:
560:
558:
556:
545:
539:
538:
536:
534:
515:
509:
503:
497:
491:
485:
479:
473:
467:
461:
455:
444:
438:
427:
426:
424:
422:
406:
400:
399:
397:
395:
375:
369:
368:
366:
364:
347:
334:
328:
322:
321:
319:
317:
302:
293:
292:
290:
288:
268:
65:
63:
35:
21:
772:
771:
767:
766:
765:
763:
762:
761:
722:
721:
714:documentary on
708:Wayback Machine
695:
685:
668:
662:
646:
640:
621:
615:
599:
593:
572:
569:
564:
554:
552:
547:
546:
542:
532:
530:
517:
516:
512:
504:
500:
492:
488:
480:
476:
468:
464:
456:
447:
439:
430:
420:
418:
408:
407:
403:
393:
391:
377:
376:
372:
362:
360:
349:
348:
337:
329:
325:
315:
313:
304:
303:
296:
286:
284:
270:
269:
258:
254:
237:
224:
193:Baja California
189:Jorge Hank Rhon
177:
147:Jorge Hank Rhon
73:
67:
61:
59:
50:
44:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
770:
768:
760:
759:
754:
749:
744:
739:
734:
724:
723:
720:
719:
694:
693:External links
691:
690:
689:
683:
666:
660:
644:
638:
619:
613:
597:
591:
568:
565:
563:
562:
540:
529:on May 2, 2015
521:(in Spanish).
510:
508:, p. 259.
498:
486:
484:, p. 319.
474:
462:
445:
428:
401:
370:
335:
333:, p. 115.
323:
294:
255:
253:
250:
249:
248:
243:
236:
233:
223:
220:
212:Tijuana Cartel
176:
173:
103:
102:
99:
98:Known for
95:
94:
87:
83:
82:
79:
75:
74:
68:
66:(aged 46)
58:April 20, 1988
56:
52:
51:
47:Choix, Sinaloa
45:
41:
37:
36:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
769:
758:
755:
753:
750:
748:
745:
743:
740:
738:
735:
733:
730:
729:
727:
717:
713:
709:
705:
702:
701:
697:
696:
692:
686:
680:
676:
672:
667:
663:
657:
653:
649:
645:
641:
635:
631:
627:
626:
620:
616:
610:
606:
602:
598:
594:
588:
584:
579:
578:
571:
570:
566:
550:
544:
541:
528:
524:
520:
514:
511:
507:
506:Collings 2001
502:
499:
496:, p. 15.
495:
490:
487:
483:
482:Weinberg 2002
478:
475:
472:, p. 15.
471:
470:Collings 2001
466:
463:
460:, p. 75.
459:
454:
452:
450:
446:
443:, p. 14.
442:
441:Collings 2001
437:
435:
433:
429:
416:
412:
405:
402:
389:
385:
381:
374:
371:
359:
358:
353:
346:
344:
342:
340:
336:
332:
327:
324:
311:
307:
301:
299:
295:
282:
278:
274:
267:
265:
263:
261:
257:
251:
247:
244:
242:
239:
238:
234:
232:
230:
221:
219:
216:
213:
208:
206:
202:
196:
194:
190:
186:
182:
175:Assassination
174:
172:
170:
165:
163:
159:
154:
152:
148:
144:
140:
139:
133:
131:
127:
123:
119:
115:
114:
109:
100:
96:
93:
92:
88:
84:
80:
76:
71:
57:
53:
48:
42:
38:
34:
29:
22:
19:
732:1940s births
715:
699:
670:
648:
624:
601:
576:
567:Bibliography
553:. Retrieved
543:
531:. Retrieved
527:the original
513:
501:
489:
477:
465:
419:. Retrieved
404:
392:. Retrieved
383:
373:
361:. Retrieved
355:
326:
314:. Retrieved
285:. Retrieved
276:
228:
225:
217:
209:
197:
178:
168:
166:
155:
136:
134:
117:
111:
107:
106:
89:
86:Organization
18:
737:1988 deaths
652:Verso Books
151:Mexico City
726:Categories
718:'s history
684:0615140084
661:1859843727
639:0929692624
614:0814716059
592:029272537X
421:August 25,
394:August 25,
363:August 25,
316:August 25,
287:August 25,
252:References
81:journalist
78:Occupation
62:1988-04-21
700:Reportero
605:NYU Press
555:April 30,
458:Lutz 1990
222:Aftermath
704:Archived
415:Archived
388:Archived
331:Fox 2002
310:Archived
281:Archived
235:See also
72:, Mexico
49:, Mexico
181:Tijuana
60: (
43:c. 1941
681:
658:
636:
611:
589:
533:May 2,
120:under
716:Zeta
710:, a
679:ISBN
656:ISBN
634:ISBN
609:ISBN
587:ISBN
557:2015
535:2015
423:2012
396:2012
365:2012
318:2012
289:2012
229:Zeta
169:Zeta
138:Zeta
130:SWAT
113:Zeta
91:Zeta
55:Died
40:Born
712:PBS
118:ABC
728::
677:.
654:.
632:.
607:.
585:.
448:^
431:^
386:.
382:.
354:.
338:^
297:^
279:.
275:.
259:^
207:.
195:.
687:.
664:.
642:.
617:.
595:.
559:.
537:.
425:.
398:.
367:.
320:.
291:.
64:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
