A journalist has been shot dead by gunmen in eastern Mexico, underscoring the persistent dangers faced by media professionals in the country.

The victim, Carlos Castro, was a crime reporter with local news outlet Código Norte Veracruz. According to Mexican media reports, Castro was attacked on Thursday while at a restaurant in Poza Rica, a city in the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz. He was reportedly shot at close range by unidentified assailants who fled the scene. No arrests have been made so far.

The State Commission for the Attention and Protection of Journalists, an autonomous body of the Veracruz regional government, confirmed Castro’s killing and called on authorities to carry out a thorough investigation to identify and prosecute those responsible.

Castro’s death adds to a long list of journalists killed in Mexico, a country widely regarded as one of the most dangerous places in the world for the press. According to Reporters Without Borders, more than 150 journalists have been murdered in Mexico since 1994, many of them targeted for their reporting on crime, corruption, and organised criminal networks.

Veracruz, where the attack occurred, has for years been a hotspot of violence linked to organised crime. Rival groups continue to battle for control of lucrative drug trafficking routes that run through the state, creating a climate of fear that has frequently placed journalists in harm’s way.

Media rights advocates have repeatedly warned that impunity for crimes against journalists remains a major problem in Mexico, with many cases going unsolved. Castro’s killing has renewed calls for stronger protection for reporters and decisive action by authorities to ensure that attacks on the press do not go unpunished.