México, City, (March 24, 2021).- Two years after the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the morning press conferences stopped being “a true informational space, of transparency and accountability”, to become the moment when the federal Executive imposes its agenda “at any cost, even sacrificing the truth” about the government situation, warned Article 19 in its annual report entitled “Distortion: the speeches against reality.”
The daily morning press conference held by president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is nothing but a strategy to manipulate public opinion, and disqualify any person or group that goes against AMLO’s political agenda.
The idea came from Hugo Chavez TV program “Aló Presidente”, which was used as means of political propaganda. The show was moderated by the president of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez. The difference is that this program was broadcast on Sundays starting at 11 a.m. local time in Venezuela; while Lopez Obrador goes live on national TV practically every day.
From the analysis of the morning conferences held during 2020, the organization “Artículo 19” considered that in the morning conferences, “it is pursued that in the public arena the only voice that is heard is that of the president and the information that contrasts and dismisses his sayings will be denied by means of legal procedures if necessary”.
Article 19 is an international organization founded in 1987 that defends freedom of expression and the right to information, taking its name from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which proclaims freedom of expression.
Source: Proceso
