Freedom of the press is one aspect of Mexico's democratic life that has made real progress in the last twenty years. Although we tend to forget it, there was a time here when criticizing the government was almost impossible in virtually all Mexican media.

Although it was far from being a totalitarian stranglehold, the PRI led government controlled everything from newsstand distribution to the always sizable budget of public advertising.

Things have changed. The independence of Mexican newspapers is now unquestionable. In the recent electoral crisis, for example, papers like Reforma, El Universal and Excelsior set an example of impartiality. There was no government "line". Neither were there consequences for newspapers and magazines that criticized President Fox and his handling of the crisis (La Jornada and Proceso have been particularly vicious and, unlike what could have happened during the times of the PRI, the rights of both have been thoroughly respected).

Nonetheless, being a journalist in Mexico can still be very dangerous. Especially in the country's northern states and border towns, newspapermen have been under the direct threat of Mexico's sanguinary drug traffickers and mafia lords. The story of Zeta, Tijuana's main newspaper, reads like a James Ellroy novel on acid. For these admirable professionals, being a journalist is almost like being on the verge of the witness protection program. And therein lays the next serious challenge for Mexico's journalistic community: To ensure the safety of every single reporter, including their sources. It won't be easy, but neither was gaining freedom and independence after 70 years of censorship.