ITAM dismisses security expert Víctor Hernández, who claims it's an attack on free speech

Víctor Antonio Hernández Ojeda, a national security expert and professor at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), has been dismissed from his role at the Center for Studies on Security, Intelligence, and Governance (CESIG).

Hernández received a notification via WhatsApp on Wednesday, May 27, from the CESIG director, Vidal Romero León. The message stated that his public statements on social media were not aligned with the Center's interests and that his affiliation was no longer "sustainable."

"They notified me last night via WhatsApp informing me that there was an 'institutional disagreement' regarding how I expressed myself publicly, and, let's say, my only topic of conversation is always national security issues, the designation of cartels as terrorist organizations," Hernández stated.

The university officially confirmed his dismissal via email on May 28, with a document stating that the CESIG directive had resolved to cancel his "external honorary affiliation (without employment relationship)" as it "convenes for the development of the Center."

Hernández described the decision as leaving him in a "vulnerable state" due to his financial dependence on teaching. He accused the dismissal of being an "attack" on his freedom of expression as a citizen, arguing that as a private individual, he should not face repercussions for his interactions with officials, especially when raising concerns about potential complicity with a "narco-terrorist government."

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Me notificaron anoche vía WhatsApp informando que había un 'desacuerdo institucional' respecto a cómo me expresaba públicamente y, digamos, mi único tema de conversación es siempre temas de seguridad nacional, la designación de los cárteles como organizaciones terroristas.