Zeta (magazine)
Encyclopedia
Zeta is a Mexican magazine published every Friday in Tijuana
by Choix Editores. This publication regularly runs exposés on the local and federal governments as well as on organized crime. As a result, its co-founder and co-director J. Jesús Blancornelas suffered several murder attempts, including one in 1997 in which he was gravely injured and that left his bodyguard dead. Since then, the publication has received several press awards. Zeta is distributed throughout the Mexican states of Baja California
, Baja California Sur
and Sonora
.
Héctor Félix Miranda, also known as "El Gato Félix", (Spanish for Felix the Cat
) was murdered on April 20, 1988. For years the magazine has included a page, in every edition, about the murder and how the attacker was an employee of a local millionaire, Jorge Hank Rhon
and promises to stop publication when the people who ordered the assassination are convicted.http://web.archive.org/web/20070928060057/http://www.impunidad.com/cases/hector_avisoS.htm In 2004, the magazine intensified negative publicity towards Hank Rhon, since he was the Institutional Revolutionary Party
(PRI) candidate for the position of president
of the municipality of Tijuana
in the 2004 elections in Baja California
. However, discontent with the National Action Party
(PAN) had a heavier weight on public opinion and Hank Rhon won the election, ending 12 years of PAN government in the municipality.
Tijuana
Tijuana is the largest city on the Baja California Peninsula and center of the Tijuana metropolitan area, part of the international San Diego–Tijuana metropolitan area. An industrial and financial center of Mexico, Tijuana exerts a strong influence on economics, education, culture, art, and politics...
by Choix Editores. This publication regularly runs exposés on the local and federal governments as well as on organized crime. As a result, its co-founder and co-director J. Jesús Blancornelas suffered several murder attempts, including one in 1997 in which he was gravely injured and that left his bodyguard dead. Since then, the publication has received several press awards. Zeta is distributed throughout the Mexican states of Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
, Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur , is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state on October 8, 1974, the area was known as the South Territory of Baja California. It has an area of , or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises...
and Sonora
Sonora
Sonora officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into 72 municipalities; the capital city is Hermosillo....
.
Héctor Félix Miranda, also known as "El Gato Félix", (Spanish for Felix the Cat
Felix the Cat
Felix the Cat is a cartoon character created in the silent film era. His black body, white eyes, and giant grin, coupled with the surrealism of the situations in which his cartoons place him, combine to make Felix one of the most recognized cartoon characters in film history...
) was murdered on April 20, 1988. For years the magazine has included a page, in every edition, about the murder and how the attacker was an employee of a local millionaire, Jorge Hank Rhon
Jorge Hank Rhon
Jorge Hank Rhon is a Mexican politician, businessman and owner of Mexico's largest sports betting company, Caliente. An eccentric and controversial personality, he served from December 2004 to February 2007 as the president of the municipality of Tijuana. He is the son of former Mexico City mayor...
and promises to stop publication when the people who ordered the assassination are convicted.http://web.archive.org/web/20070928060057/http://www.impunidad.com/cases/hector_avisoS.htm In 2004, the magazine intensified negative publicity towards Hank Rhon, since he was the Institutional Revolutionary Party
Institutional Revolutionary Party
The Institutional Revolutionary Party is a Mexican political party that held power in the country—under a succession of names—for more than 70 years. The PRI is a member of the Socialist International, as is the rival Party of the Democratic Revolution , making Mexico one of the few...
(PRI) candidate for the position of president
Municipal president
A presidente municipal is the chief of government of municipios in Mexico. The position is comparable to the county executive of a county in the United States or to the mayor of a city in the United States, although the jurisdiction of a presidente municipal includes not only a city but the...
of the municipality of Tijuana
Municipality of Tijuana
Tijuana Municipality is a municipality in the Mexican state of Baja California. Its municipal seat is located in the city of Tijuana. According to the 2010 census, the municipality had a population of 1,559,683 inhabitants, of whom 1,300,983, or 83.4%, lived in the city of Tijuana...
in the 2004 elections in Baja California
Baja California
Baja California officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is both the northernmost and westernmost state of Mexico. Before becoming a state in 1953, the area was known as the North...
. However, discontent with the National Action Party
National Action Party (Mexico)
The National Action Party , is one of the three main political parties in Mexico. The party's political platform is generally considered Centre-Right in the Mexican political spectrum. Since 2000, the President of Mexico has been a member of this party; both houses have PAN pluralities, but the...
(PAN) had a heavier weight on public opinion and Hank Rhon won the election, ending 12 years of PAN government in the municipality.
Staff
- Héctor Félix Miranda, co-founder, shot dead in 1988
- J. Jesús Blancornelas, co-director, general editor (d. 2006)
- Francisco Ortiz FrancoFrancisco Ortiz FrancoFrancisco Javier Ortiz Franco was a Mexican journalist.He was shot five times at the wheel of his car by masked gunmen in a drive-by shooting...
, contributing editor, shot dead in June 2004 - Adela Navarro BelloAdela Navarro BelloAdela Navarro Bello is a Mexican journalist. She is the general director of the weekly magazine Zeta, which is published in the northern city of Tijuana. Zeta, which was founded in 1980, is one of the few publications that frequently reports on organized crime, drug trafficking, and corruption in...
, editor - René Blanco Villalón, photography editor
External links
- (es) Zeta online
- Information on the assassination of Héctor Félix Miranda.
- Information on attempt of assassination of Jesús BlancornelasJesús BlancornelasJesús Blancornelas was a Mexican journalist.-Biography:Born Juan Jesús Blanco Ornelas in San Luis Potosí, he held his first job as a reporter in that city...
at the International Freedom of Expression eXchangeInternational Freedom of Expression ExchangeThe International Freedom of Expression eXchange , founded in 1992, is a global network of around 90 non-governmental organisations that promotes and defends the right to freedom of expression....
. - Jesús Blancornelas, UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom PrizeUNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom PrizeThe UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, created in 1997, honours a person, organization or institution that has made an outstanding contribution to the defence and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially when this has been achieved in the face of danger.The...
in 1999. - Jesús Blancornelas, 2005 Daniel PearlDaniel PearlDaniel Pearl was an American journalist who was kidnapped and killed by Al-Qaeda.At the time of his kidnapping, Pearl served as the South Asia Bureau Chief of the Wall Street Journal, and was based in Mumbai, India. He went to Pakistan as part of an investigation into the alleged links between...
Award for Courage during the Southern California Journalism Awards in 2005.