Journalist's family protests for justice at Oaxaca's Guelaguetza parade

Family and friends of journalist Francisco Alejandro Leyva Aguilar staged a protest during the Guelaguetza parade in Oaxaca, demanding justice for his assassination. Dressed in black and holding banners, they called on citizens to join their cause, declaring that Oaxaca and Mexico are living under a "situation of terrorism."

One of Leyva's nieces, speaking during the protest, expressed her frustration with the ongoing violence. "It is not possible that we continue to live in a situation of terrorism. Enough is enough. We come in peace. We are citizens. We are family, just like you. We want an Oaxaca in peace. Oaxaca is culture. Not bullets," she stated, emphasizing her desire for peace in the state.

Leyva was murdered on July 22, 2026, in front of his home while he was having breakfast at a food stall in the La Esmeralda neighborhood of San Pablo Etla, Oaxaca. The protesters expressed their deep weariness with the pervasive impunity and injustice in the region.

"We are tired, tired of so much impunity and so much injustice," they declared. The family members, who have gathered from various parts of Mexico and the world, are united in their plea for justice for Leyva, whom they described as a critic who spoke with truth and justice, but also as a man of peace and love.

During the protest, a group reportedly attempted to block the demonstration. This group was allegedly led by Ferdinando Rosado Duarte, an official from the Oaxaca de Juárez municipal government. The protest aimed to draw attention to the dangers faced by journalists and the broader climate of violence in Mexico.