A Reporter Was Beaten to Death in Mexico, Becoming the Sixth Journalist Killed There This Year

A Mexican journalist has been beaten to death in the northeastern state of Tamaulipas Tuesday, the sixth journalist killed in the country this year.

The body of Hector Gonzalez, a correspondent for national daily newspaper Excelsior, was found in the state’s capital city of Ciudad Victoria, Reuters reports citing the state attorney general’s office.

Gonzalez is the third reporter to be killed in Mexico in the last two weeks, and at least the sixth this year.

According to Reporters Without Borders, Mexico is one of the most dangerous countries in the world to be a journalist; at least 11 were killed in the country in 2017.

In January, another reporter was found dead in Tamaulipas, which borders Texas and has long been wracked by gang violence and drug-related crime.

Murders in Mexico reached record highs in 2017 according to official data, Reuters reports.

With July 1 elections on the horizon, the uptick in violence has damaged the popularity of President Enrique Pena Nieto and fanned support for his leftist opponent, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who currently leads public opinion polls.