Friday, June 20, 2008-  The violence in Juarez continues to escalate and journalists are increasingly finding themselves in violent situations.  A news crew from Juarez's Channel 5 was pushed and shoved by Mexican military during the raid of a house last week. 

Meanwhile, only a week ago newspaper reporter Moises Villeda was attacked in the middle of a Juarez street.  He was reportedly surrounded by a group of men who beat him, fired gunshots into the air and then took off.   Villeda was taken to a Juarez hospital but despite his injuries, checked himself out.  At this point, he has disappeared.  His cell phone and land line have both been disconnected. 

Jesus Mesavega, the President of Juarez's Association of Journalists tells Newschannel 9, that his organization has attempted to contact Villeda but no one has been able to provide information as to where he is.

On the heels of both these acts of violence, a newspaper reporter working for El Diario in Ascension, Mexico, has now come to El Paso asking for asylum.  Emilio Guiterrez-Soto fled Ascension with his 10 year old son.  Guiterrez-Soto says Mexican military are targeting him for assassination.    The reporter says stories he has done in the past have pointed out the abuses of the Mexican military in Ascension and have made him a target.