Mexican reporter threatened after covering construction project in Sinaloa

Mexico City, February 4, 2026—Authorities in the Mexican state of Sinaloa should immediately and comprehensively investigate threats against independent investigative journalist Sheila Arias and take all appropriate steps to ensure her safety, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.

Arias, based in the coastal resort city of Mazatlán, told CPJ that she had received threats in connection with a January 26 post on her Facebook page about a real estate project in the area currently requesting a permit from the Mexican federal government.

Arias reported that she received a message from a local businessman who identified himself as the “owner of the project,” which Arias later confirmed. The man asked her to take down the publication or he would take legal steps against her, adding that he “knows her bosses” and “knows many things about her.” Arias said she also received a message with photos of her residence from an Instagram account bearing the name “Punta Nama.” CPJ has reviewed the messages.

According to Arias, the project, named Punta Nama, would have a significant impact on the environment in the immediate surroundings of the construction zone, including on one of the few remaining wetlands in the area. In the post, Arias called on local authorities and the public to carefully and critically review the project.

“The threats against Sheila Arias come amid one of the worst periods of criminal violence against journalists in the history of the state, with recent attacks against reporters and media, documented by CPJ, leading to no arrests or convictions,” said Jan-Albert Hootsen, CPJ’s Mexico representative. “State authorities must end the cycle of violence and impunity by investigating all threats against her and guaranteeing that she can work without fear of reprisals.”

Arias is a veteran reporter covering politics, corruption, abuse of power and the environment in Sinaloa and Mazatlán. She collaborates with numerous organizations, including local press freedom group Iniciativa Sinaloa, and publishes regularly on her personal Facebook page about construction projects and their environmental impact in the Mazatlán area.

CPJ made several telephone calls for comment to the real estate firm that oversees the Punta Nama construction project for comment, but the calls were not answered.