Mexican Presidents Controversial Move: Defending Disclosure of Reporters Number

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador sparked controversy by releasing a New York Times reporters phone number, asserting his authority above privacy laws. Press freedom advocates criticized the action as an attempt to punish critical reporting and endanger the journalist.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has defended his decision to disclose the telephone number of a New York Times reporter, asserting that a law prohibiting officials from releasing personal information does not apply to him. The president's action has drawn criticism from press freedom groups, who view it as an attempt to punish critical reporting and expose the journalist to potential danger.

Legal Controversy

Mexico's Law on Protection of Personal Data stipulates that the government must guarantee individuals' privacy and outlines penalties for improper handling of personal data. However, President López Obrador contends that his "political and moral authority" supersedes this law, and no law can override the "sublime principle of liberty." He also accused US media outlets of acting with "arrogance."

Risks to Journalists

Journalists in Mexico face significant risks, with the country being one of the deadliest places for reporters outside war zones. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has documented at least 55 journalist killings in Mexico since 2018, when López Obrador took office. Jan-Albert Hootsen, the CPJ's Mexico representative, emphasized the potential danger of publishing a reporter's phone number in Mexico, as threats and harassment are often conveyed through mobile phone messaging apps.

Triggering Event

The controversy arose when President López Obrador denied allegations in a New York Times article about a US investigation into claims that individuals close to him received money from drug traffickers before and after his 2018 election. The story cited unidentified US officials familiar with the now-shelved inquiry and noted that a formal investigation was not initiated, nor was it known how much of the informant's allegations were independently verified.

Publication of Phone Number

As customary practice, the New York Times reporter had sent a letter to President López Obrador's spokesperson seeking comment on the story before publication and included her telephone number as a contact. During his daily press briefing, the president displayed the letter on a large screen and read it aloud, including the reporter's phone number.

Response from Media and Authorities

The New York Times expressed concern over the president's actions, describing it as a "troubling and unacceptable tactic" amid rising threats against journalists. Mexico's National Institute for Transparency and Information Access, responsible for upholding personal data laws, announced an investigation into the president's actions. However, the effectiveness of this investigation is uncertain, given President López Obrador's frequent criticism and proposal to abolish the institute.

Pattern of Behavior

Press freedom groups and journalists have pointed out that this is not the first instance of President López Obrador targeting critical media. In 2022, he published the income of a journalist who had written critical stories about him, claiming to have obtained the information from the public. However, the journalist disputed the accuracy of the information, and the president later admitted to using tax receipts, which would have been accessible only to the writer or the government tax agency.

Strained Relations with Media

President López Obrador has a history of criticizing the media, accusing them of unfair treatment and being part of a conservative conspiracy against his administration. He has also expressed anger at what he perceives as US tolerance for such media reports. This incident marks the second time in recent weeks that foreign press outlets have published stories suggesting US government investigations into alleged connections between López Obrador's allies and drug cartels.

US Response

In response to the allegations, US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stated that there is no ongoing investigation into President López Obrador.