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WhatsApp and Murder in Mexico

In Mexico, the Internet and mobile technology are giving activists new ways to share information.

Tech can help activists expose corruption, organize protests and become citizen reporters. Websites like Méxicoleaks make it possible to whistleblow and share anonymously. The instant messaging service WhatsApp helps people connect.

But in Mexico, even texting can be life-threatening. Community organizer Miguel Ángel Jiménez Blanco used WhatsApp to keep journalists and activists around the world informed about government corruption abuse in his home state of Guerrero.

For his efforts, Jimenez was frequently threatened. Finally, he was murdered. Last August, his bullet-riddled body was found along the road to Acapulco, at the entrance to his hometown, Xaltianguis.