Article 19 condemns government list of critics, warns of journalistic stigmatization

The human rights organization Article 19 has strongly condemned the list of journalists and opponents presented by Mexico's federal executive legal counsel, Luisa María Alcalde. Alcalde had identified individuals allegedly leading a digital scheme to amplify messages against the government and the "Fourth Transformation" movement.

Article 19 expressed concern over the use of the "Right of Reply" platform, stating it contravenes international standards for freedom of expression and access to information. The organization also raised serious questions about the constitutionality of using public resources and the state's self-attributed functions in this context.

Although Alcalde denied the existence of a "blacklist," Article 19 argued that the legal counsel's office is overstepping its authority by stigmatizing journalistic work and generating digital violence against the press. This, the organization warned, could incite harassment, intimidation, and threats on social media against journalists and media outlets, labeling them as "paid by the right" or "receiving instructions from foreign governments."

Article 19 rejected the government's claims of a digital network promoting narratives without providing evidence or technical data. Such actions, it stated, contribute to spreading disinformation rather than combating it. The organization lamented that these actions move away from democratic society objectives and could foster self-censorship.

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The monitoring of social networks presented by the Legal Counsel's Office of the Presidency is contrary to the guarantee and protection of freedom of expression, as it involves using institutional resources and capabilities to select, classify, and single out media and journalists whose content is critical, uncomfortable, or shocking to the government.