Luis Ernesto Mendoza Cerrato

Luis Ernesto Mendoza Cerrato (1972? – 19 May 2011) was the owner of the Channel 24 broadcast facilities in Danli, Honduras. Mendoza was murdered outside the TV station and became one of 13 Honduran media workers and journalists to be murdered in a years time, only two of which were resolved. He was considered a prominent business person in Danli.

Career Owner of the Channel 24 broadcast facilities in Danli, Honduras. Luis Mendoza was the owner of the Channel 24 broadcast, he also had investments in real estate, coffee, and agriculture.

Context Honduras has experienced a spike of violence since 2010 against journalists. The Committee to Protect Journalists has recorded a string of attacks on journalists throughout the country.

Provincial television journalist Héctor Francisco Medina Polanco was gunned down on May 10 in the northern province of Yoro. The murder of Luis Mendoza occurred 9 days later. Three days after the death of Mendoza, an unknown gunmen shot and wounded Manuel Acosta Medina, who is the general manager of a Honduran newspaper. have been murdered since March 2010, at least three in direct reprisal for their work, CPJ research shows. A 2010 CPJ special report found a pattern of botched and negligent investigative work into the killings, which results in impunity in the murders of journalists. In April, director of San Pedro Sula-based Radio Uno, Arnulfo Aguilar was ambushed by a group of armed men outside his home.

Reactions The Committee to Protect Journalists had issued a special report in which it said that after the 2009 coup, journalists were increasingly vulnerable to attack and murder and that investigations were not carried out in a professional way, which has led to an increase in impunity in such cases.

Personal Mendoza was a native of the town of El Paraíso and he is survived by two daughters.