From “journalist” to consul. This is how AMLO rewards loyalty.

Her name is Isabel Arvide. On January 9, she demanded López Obrador pay government advertising in digital media, such as the portal she headed.

That same month, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs began the process of appointing her as Consul of Mexico in Istanbul, Turkey.

The woman has no diplomatic experience and is known for her recent appearance at the morning conferences of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. She requested that advertising resources be distributed to digital media.

Appointments of diplomats abroad are a matter for the President of the Republic. In the case of the Mexican Consulate in Istanbul, it does not require the Senate’s approval and ratification.

Sources from the Foreign Ministry said that during the process of processing for the position, some officials reported arrogance and mistreatment by the future official. The appointment process took at least six months and was delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the morning conference on January 9, Arvide called on the President to ensure that the Federal Government contracts with media outlets that have been critical of the current Administration.

“Seventy percent of people are informed on the Internet, and yet the one who receives the official publicity is a weekly called Proceso which you said you don’t read,” she said. “Those of us who have a portal, we are on the social networks, we have been here since dawn, we don’t receive a penny of advertising,” she added.

In another press conference, the founder of the web portal, “Estado Mayor,” asked the President for help. During the previous six years, in Peña Nieto’s government, she did not receive any public resources.

In November 2019, during a tour of the Santa Lucía airport construction site, the Ministry of National Defence (Sedena) assigned her a special vehicle to travel.

Arvide is remembered because she lost a trial against Sasha Montenegro, widow of the former President of Mexico, José López Portillo, who she called “a broken-down stripper” (encueratriz venida a menos) and her children “bastards.”

It is well known that Mrs. Arvide had maintained a close relationship with the current government, the Armed Forces, and was a collaborator of Humberto Moreira, in Coahuila, when that state went through one of the most violent stages.