Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Says Law Does Not Apply To Him After Revealing Reporter's Phone Number

By Rick Martin First Posted: Feb 23, 2024 07:37 PM EST

Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador just pulled a Donald Trump and claimed that the law does not apply to him after breaking the law that prohibits officials from releasing personal information. This happened after the ever-combative AMLO revealed the phone number of a New York Times reporter.

AMLO has been slammed by press freedom groups not just from Mexico but also the world, saying that his decision to reveal the phone number of the reporter was an attempt to punish critical reporting and expose the reporter to potential danger.

Mexico has a law called Protection of Personal Data, which states "the government will guarantee individuals' privacy," and it clearly states that officials will be punished for "improperly using, taking, publishing, hiding, altering or destroying, fully or partially, personal data."

However, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador was channeling his inner Donald Trump and stated that "the political and moral authority of the president of Mexico is above that law," and added, "no law can be above the sublime principle of liberty."

AMLO has been known to be combative towards journalists, and he downplayed the risk that journalists are facing in Mexico, which is considered the deadliest country for journalists right now. He also suggested that the New York Times reporter should just "change her telephone number."

Mexico became the deadliest place for journalists under Lopez Obrador. At least 55 journalists in Mexico have been killed since 2018, which was when AMLO took office. The threats against them mostly come from the drug cartels but also from corrupt government officials.

"The vast majority of threats and harassment and intimidation that reporters in this country, both foreign and domestic, receive, are conveyed through messages on messaging apps to mobile phones," Jan-Albert Hootsen, the Mexico representative for the Committee to Protect Journalists.

Probe Launched Over Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Releasing Journalist's Phone Number

Mexico's freedom of information body INAI has now launched an investigation into AMLO revealing the journalist's personal details. According to Reuters, the New York Times journalist was looking into alleged ties between his allies and drug cartels.

"During said event, the president made reference to an investigation by the aforementioned international newspaper and read, in front of everyone, the correspondent's telephone number," said an INAI statement.

The New York Times itself slammed AMLO, posting on X, "This is a troubling and unacceptable tactic from a world leader at a time when threats against journalists are on the rise."

US Government Downplays Inquiry Into Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador

Meanwhile, there is a report from US media that AMLO's allies have ties with the drug cartels and that US authorities investigated these connections. The US is downplaying these investigations.

A US Justice Department spokesperson confirmed that "there is no investigation into President Lopez Obrador." This echoed what National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said, saying that the DOJ has "the responsibility to review any allegation."

Mexico also dismissed these allegations as s "completely false," while the media organizations concluded in their investigation that there is no evidence that AMLO had any direct knowledge regarding the connections his allies had with the drug cartels.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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