Full Breakdown
Journalist Hamurabi Huesca Killed in Oaxaca During Attack Targeting Criminal “El Dario”
By Drooid · · How we work
The Fatal Shooting in Oaxaca
An armed group opened fire on a taxi in the municipality of Santiago Pinotepa Nacional, southern Oaxaca, killing independent journalist Hamurabi Huesca Manzano, the owner of the digital news portal Pinotepa Comunica. Huesca was waiting to transport a man known as “El Dario,” a figure described by authorities as a major instigator of violence on the Oaxaca coast. The gunfire also wounded El Dario, who later died in a hospital, and killed a third victim identified only by the initials O.F.M.M. Local reports differ on the exact location of the attack, with some indicating it occurred at Huesca’s home.
Background and Context
Mexico remains one of the world’s most hazardous environments for journalists; Reporters Without Borders records more than 150 media workers killed in the country since 1994. Huesca supplemented his reporting income by driving a taxi, a common practice among independent journalists in the region. The incident marks the ninth journalist killing in Mexico this year, according to the human-rights organization Article 19.
Official Statements & Responses
The Oaxaca state prosecutor’s office said the primary line of investigation points to a dispute between rival criminal cells, asserting that the intended target was El Dario. The prosecutor’s office claims the attackers have been “fully identified,” though no names were released. Article 19 issued a statement on X demanding that investigators treat Huesca’s journalistic work as a priority. San Miguel Tlacamama mayor Antonio Olmedo Mendoza confirmed Huesca’s death, expressed sorrow, and extended condolences to the victim’s family, friends and colleagues.
Data & Statistics
- Ninth journalist killed in Mexico in 2026.
- Over 150 journalists murdered in Mexico since 1994 (Reporters Without Borders).
- Pinotepa Comunica’s audience exceeds 50,000 followers.
Why It Matters
The killing underscores the intersecting risks faced by journalists who operate in regions dominated by organized crime and highlights calls from press-freedom advocates for investigations that consider the victim’s professional role. The incident also raises concerns about the broader climate of impunity for attacks linked to criminal disputes in Mexico’s coastal states.
