Manuel Buendía
Encyclopedia
Manuel Buendía Tellezgirón (24 May 1926 – 30 May 1984) was an influential political columnist
from Mexico
who, according to the official investigation, was murdered by crooked security officials of Mexico's former secret police
. He had received the National Journalism Award in 1977 and his assassination, along 28 similar crimes during Miguel de la Madrid
's administration, prompted a national boycott against the National Press Day celebration in 1988.
, Michoacán
, and graduated from Escuela Libre de Derecho
, a private Law school
in the Mexican capital. During his lifetime he wrote several political columns for Mexico City
-based newspapers, such as Para control de usted and Concierto político (El Día); Sol y sombra (El Sol de México, 1977) and his most famous one: Red privada (Private Network), a muckraking daily contribution syndicated in El Universal
, Excélsior
and over two hundred broadsheets across the country.
His columns frequently discussed sensitive topics such as crime and corruption of government officials and trade union
s, intelligence activities conducted by the United States
government within his country and some coverage of paramilitary organizations. According to the official report, at the time of his death he was preparing a column on José Antonio Zorrilla —then head of the Federal Security Directorate (DFS); Mexico's former secret police
— and his involvement in drug trafficking activities.
. A different hypothesis —held by Raymundo Riva Palacio, former Editorial Director of El Universal and a fellow recipient of the National Journalism Award— states that Moro was only responsible for driving the motorcycle used by the real assassin to escape. According to Riva Palacio, the mastermind behind the targeted killing
was Juan Arévalo Gardoqui, then Secretary of National Defense (allegedly worried of Buendía exposing some Mexican Army links to drug trafficking) and the gunman was an army colonel that appeared dead three days later in Zacatecas
with 120 stab wounds in his body.
A government official quoted by The New York Times
asserted that, within 20 minutes of the crime, Zorrilla's agents had gone up to Buendia's office and removed files from his archives. By instructions of Manuel Bartlett
, then Secretary of the Interior, the investigation was conducted by the Federal Security Directorate itself.
Both Moro and Zorrilla were apprehended five years later in the administration of Carlos Salinas; they were sentenced to 25 and 35 years' imprisonment, respectively, but were released for good conduct after serving 19 despite protests from some public intellectuals, journalists and politicians.
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
from Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
who, according to the official investigation, was murdered by crooked security officials of Mexico's former secret police
Secret police
Secret police are a police agency which operates in secrecy and beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator or an authoritarian political regime....
. He had received the National Journalism Award in 1977 and his assassination, along 28 similar crimes during Miguel de la Madrid
Miguel de la Madrid
Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado is a Mexican politician affiliated to the Institutional Revolutionary Party who served as President of Mexico from 1982 to 1988.-Biography:...
's administration, prompted a national boycott against the National Press Day celebration in 1988.
Biography
Buendía was born in ZitácuaroZitácuaro
Zitácuaro is a city in the Mexican state of Michoacán. The city is the administrative centre for the surrounding municipality of the same name, which lies at the extreme eastern side of Michoacán and borders on the adjacent state of México...
, Michoacán
Michoacán
Michoacán officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Michoacán de Ocampo is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 113 municipalities and its capital city is Morelia...
, and graduated from Escuela Libre de Derecho
Escuela Libre de Derecho
Escuela Libre de Derecho is a prestigious law school in Mexico. Founded in 1912, it has among its alumni some of the most distinguished Mexican attorneys...
, a private Law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
in the Mexican capital. During his lifetime he wrote several political columns for Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
-based newspapers, such as Para control de usted and Concierto político (El Día); Sol y sombra (El Sol de México, 1977) and his most famous one: Red privada (Private Network), a muckraking daily contribution syndicated in El Universal
El Universal (Mexico City)
El Universal is a major Mexican newspaper.El Universal was founded by Félix Palavicini and Emilio Rabasa in October 1916, in the city of Santiago de Queretaro to cover the end of the Mexican Revolution and the creation of the new Mexican Constitution...
, Excélsior
Excélsior
Excélsior is a daily newspaper, founded by Rafael Alducin and published in Mexico City since 1917.During the 1950s and 1960s, the newspaper's editorial stance was of a relatively liberal bent, under the editorship of Julio Scherer...
and over two hundred broadsheets across the country.
His columns frequently discussed sensitive topics such as crime and corruption of government officials and trade union
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
s, intelligence activities conducted by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government within his country and some coverage of paramilitary organizations. According to the official report, at the time of his death he was preparing a column on José Antonio Zorrilla —then head of the Federal Security Directorate (DFS); Mexico's former secret police
Secret police
Secret police are a police agency which operates in secrecy and beyond the law to protect the political power of an individual dictator or an authoritarian political regime....
— and his involvement in drug trafficking activities.
Assassination
The official investigation states that on Wednesday, 30 May 1984, just after leaving his office on Insurgentes Avenue, he was shot five times in the back at point-blank range by Juan Rafael Moro Ávila, a DFS agent working for Zorrilla and great-grandnephew of former president Manuel Ávila CamachoManuel Ávila Camacho
Manuel Ávila Camacho served as the President of Mexico from 1940 to 1946.Manuel Ávila was born in the city of Teziutlán, a small town in Puebla, to middle-class parents, Manuel Ávila Castillo and Eufrosina Camacho Bello. He had several siblings, among them sister María Jovita Ávila Camacho and...
. A different hypothesis —held by Raymundo Riva Palacio, former Editorial Director of El Universal and a fellow recipient of the National Journalism Award— states that Moro was only responsible for driving the motorcycle used by the real assassin to escape. According to Riva Palacio, the mastermind behind the targeted killing
Targeted killing
Targeted killing is the deliberate, specific targeting and killing, by a government or its agents, of a supposed terrorist or of a supposed "unlawful combatant" who is not in that government's custody...
was Juan Arévalo Gardoqui, then Secretary of National Defense (allegedly worried of Buendía exposing some Mexican Army links to drug trafficking) and the gunman was an army colonel that appeared dead three days later in Zacatecas
Zacatecas
Zacatecas officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Zacatecas is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided in 58 municipalities and its capital city is Zacatecas....
with 120 stab wounds in his body.
A government official quoted by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
asserted that, within 20 minutes of the crime, Zorrilla's agents had gone up to Buendia's office and removed files from his archives. By instructions of Manuel Bartlett
Manuel Bartlett
Manuel Bartlett Díaz , was Mexican Secretary of the Interior during the six year term of Miguel de la Madrid, from December 1, 1982 to November 30, 1988. During the first years of the Carlos Salinas government he was Secretary of Public Education, position he left after being nominated by the PRI...
, then Secretary of the Interior, the investigation was conducted by the Federal Security Directorate itself.
Both Moro and Zorrilla were apprehended five years later in the administration of Carlos Salinas; they were sentenced to 25 and 35 years' imprisonment, respectively, but were released for good conduct after serving 19 despite protests from some public intellectuals, journalists and politicians.
Selected works
- La ultraderecha en México (The Far-Right in Mexico, posthumous, 1984)
- La CIA en México (The CIA in Mexico, posthumous, 1984)