The Ibero-American Commission on Human Rights for the Development of the Americas (CIDHPDA), in the voice of its President Commissioner for Latin America and the Caribbean, Víctor Hugo Gutiérrez Yáñez, warns that democratic life must be based on transparency, both in the practice of journalism and in a government that guarantees fundamental freedoms and rights. We reject the manipulation perpetrated by political actors who seek to silence freedom of the press.
In August 2020, the news media Latinus published a video showing the brother of the current President of Mexico, Mr. Pío López Obrador, exchanging yellow envelopes with money in an alleged corruption case. Later, he justified that they were "contributions" to support the Movimiento Regeneración Nacional (Morena) party. It should be recalled that Pío López Obrador was responsible for collecting economic resources in cash for campaign expenses.
In 2022, Pío López filed a lawsuit for moral damages against the journalist and demands reparations of 200 million pesos. On February 27, the two men were confronted in the Civil Courts located at Niños Héroes #132, in the Doctores neighborhood.
Gutiérrez Yáñez stated that it is necessary to create a truth commission to generate an in-depth investigation to identify the sources of financing for the 2006 and 2018 presidential campaigns, in which the U.S. newspaper The New York Times revealed that resources were provided by drug traffickers. Likewise, the investigations should consider the information disclosed by Latinus to clarify the origin of the money received by Pío López.
Article 6 of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States states that the manifestation of ideas shall not be subject to any judicial or administrative inquisition, unless it provokes a crime. On the other hand, Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights protects the freedom of opinion and expression of every individual; "this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers". Therefore, the Mexican State must respect both articles and guarantee freedom of expression instead of attacking communicators who are critical of the government.
We at the CIDHPDA reject the demand for $200 million pesos requested by Pío López Obrador against Carlos Loret De Mola, as this is an action that attempts to silence freedom through investigative journalism. We express our greatest solidarity with the journalistic work that the Mexican journalist has been doing.