It appears Mexico has deported its first foreign journalist since the 1990’s, Italian professor, scholar and journalist Gianni Proiettis.
The motive for the deportation remains unknown but what is known is that Prioiettis, who has lived and worked in Mexico for close to 15 years, was put on a Aeromexico flight to Madrid and on to Rome accompanied by two immigration officials.
One of Mexico’s literary treasures, Elena Poniatowksa has already written an op-ed criticizing the administration of President Felipe Calderon for their thin skin. She also noted that Mexico’s treatment of journalist was already under scrutiny when a popular talk show host was fired for alleging Calderon is an alcoholic.
Proiettis is married to a Mexican national and taught classes in anthropology at the Autonomous University of Chiapas. He was also the first Italian journalist to interview the Zapatista leader Marcos. He is also a regular columnist for a communist newspaper in Italy.
Narco News is reporting they spoke with Proiettis on the phone where he states Mexican officials told him he was being deported because ‘you did not renew your visa’ which is untrue says Proittis. There is speculation he angered Calderon at the Cancun Global Summit with off-handed comments but that is mere speculation by some.
