Mexico offers rewards in killings of journalists

MEXICO CITY – Mexico’s Attorney General’s Office is offering rewards for information leading to the arrests of those responsible for the murders of five journalists and the attempted murder of a sixth this year.

The government published the offers of up to 1.5 million pesos ($83,000) in Tuesday’s official gazette.

Six journalists have been killed in Mexico so far this year. The Attorney General’s Office did not immediately explain why it included four from this year and one from December.

The government promised changes to protect journalists and pursue their killers following the May 15 murder of prominent journalist Javier Valdez in the western city of Culiacan. It is the first time a reward has been offered in the case of a murdered journalist in the administration of President Enrique Pena Nieto.