A doxing scandal started by Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador led to the additional doxing of two presidential candidates. The president also admitted that he didn’t care if he broke the law by starting the controversy.
In the most recent turn of events, Lopez Obrador criticized YouTube for taking down the video of his morning news conference where the doxing took place. The politician claimed YouTube was censoring him and being authoritarian.
As Breitbart Texas initially reported, the issue began last week when Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador used one of his morning news conferences to criticize and intimidate the New York Times for asking questions about drug cartel money being pumped into his campaigns.
In the most recent turn of events, Lopez Obrador criticized YouTube for taking down the video of his morning news conference where the doing took place. The politician claimed YouTube was censoring him and being authoritarian.
Por censura, YouTube nos bajó el video de la conferencia de prensa del jueves 22 de febrero, pues, según ellos, “infringe las normas de la comunidad“. Es una actitud prepotente y autoritaria. Están en plena decadencia. La estatua de la libertad se ha convertido en un símbolo… pic.twitter.com/Dpbn4tJBfr
— Andrés Manuel (@lopezobrador_) February 26, 2024
During his initial criticism, Lopez Obrador revealed the personal cell phone of Natalie Kitroeff from the Times, who sent an email to the president’s press office with multiple questions.
The issue continued with Mexican government news outlets criticizing Kitroeff and her work in the story about AMLO’s campaign.
AMLO’s Govt using public broadcasting to intimidate the NYT’s Mexico bureau chief
Frightening. https://t.co/tFO0gz0BhE
— José Díaz Briseño (@diazbriseno) February 23, 2024
The initial doxxing sparked international criticism from press freedom organizations since Mexico is considered one of the deadliest countries for journalists.
#LaVerdadSeProtege
Revelar datos personales de periodistas e impedirles el acceso a la conferencia de prensa de @lopezobrador son violaciones graves a su derecho a la privacidad, a su seguridad y a la libertad de expresión.Desde Amnistía Internacional nos solidarizamos con… pic.twitter.com/saAkwtN04V
— Amnistía Int. México (@amnistiamexico) February 23, 2024
When questioned by a reporter from Univision about the doxing, Lopez Obrador said it was done on purpose. When told that doxing was against the law in Mexico, the president doubled down and claimed that he was within his right to defend himself against libelous attacks from critical news outlets.
Soon after, one of Lopez Obrador’s sons posted on social media that his phone number had been leaked and he had been receiving threats.
En las últimas horas, he sido objeto de un acto de invasión a mi privacidad, a través de la filtración de mi número de teléfono. Este acto, que entiendo como una forma de venganza y un intento de hacer daño, no solo me afecta a mí, sino que también pone en peligro a mi familia y…
— José Ramón López Beltrán (@_JRLB_) February 24, 2024
Presidential Candidate Claudia Sheinbaum, a Lopez Obrador supporter, also posted over the weekend that she, too, had been doxed and had been receiving threats on her personal cell phone.
El día de hoy he estado recibiendo llamadas sin parar y mensajes de odio ( como el que muestro) pues alguien publicó mi número de teléfono celular en redes sociales. Es obvio lo que quieren hacer, de nuevo sus ataques son tan burdos como inofensivos. Los números que deberían… pic.twitter.com/nCFXF5f7lc
— Dra. Claudia Sheinbaum (@Claudiashein) February 24, 2024
By Sunday, Xochitl Galvez, the presidential candidate from the opposition party also reported that her cell phone number had been leaked.
Filtraron mi número de teléfono y no han dejado de llegar mensajes.
Preocúpense, porque esto ya nadie lo para. pic.twitter.com/Rj06ArcTXV
— Xóchitl Gálvez Ruiz (@XochitlGalvez) February 25, 2024
Ildefonso Ortiz is an award-winning journalist with Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Brandon Darby and senior Breitbart management. You can follow him on Twitter and on Facebook. He can be contacted at Iortiz@breitbart.com.
Brandon Darby is the managing director and editor-in-chief of Breitbart Texas. He co-founded Breitbart Texas’ Cartel Chronicles project with Ildefonso Ortiz and senior Breitbart management. Follow him on Twitter and Facebook. He can be contacted at bdarby@breitbart.com.
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