Journalist Carmen Aristegui's Firing and Mexico's Media-Government Dance Carlos Rajo - NBC News
go to original April 20, 2015

The firing a few weeks ago of Mexican journalist Carmen Aristegui and the cancellation of her popular morning radio program often are mentioned as prime examples of the limits on freedom of expression in Mexico today.

And how could it be otherwise, argue the critics of the Mexican government, if Aristegui was the one who uncovered perhaps the biggest scandal in the more than two years of President Enrique Peña Nieto's administration: the "white house" investigation, which revealed an apparent conflict of interest between the president and his wife on one hand and a major government contractor on the other. ('White house' is the name of the private mansion purchased by the Peña Nieto family from the contractor).

In this view, Aristegui's case has been a violation of the freedom of the press, part of a cloudy period in Mexico in the relationship between the media and power. The government feels cornered, burdened by alleged corruption scandals and is uncertain how to respond to each crisis.

It is the true that almost a month after her dismissal, Aristegui and her talented research team are off the air. But as with so much of what happens here among government, journalists and media owners, there are many unknowns in this case. It is not clear that the government gave a thumbs down to Aristegui, or that her absence from the radio means that there is no freedom of speech in Mexico today.

...Is there a setback in Mexico's freedom of expression? The answer depends on which narrative one wants to accept in a country where things are never black and white.

Read the rest at NBC News

Related: Mexico Press Freedom: Cyber Attacks Bring Down Aristegui Noticias News Portal (Mexico Voices)

Image: Román Rivas

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