Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) Is Now Feuding With YouTube
Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) just started a new feud, and it all stemmed from him leaking a reporter's phone number. His latest nemesis is video-sharing platform YouTube, which took down the video of him sharing the reporter's phone number during a morning press conference.
AMLO has been very combative to reporters as of late, with him doxing a New York Times reporter after she inquired about his allies' ties to drug cartels. This led to a major backlash from news media around the world. This led YouTube to take down the specific video where he revealed the reporter's phone number.
According to the Associated Press, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's YouTube channel has approximately 4.2 million subscribers, with the president posting his morning press conferences on that very channel. However, when YouTube took the video down, he lashed out.
The Mexican president claimed that in Mexico, the platform "has been taken over by conservatives," adding that YouTube "is in full decline" and accused the platform of censorship.
However, the platform noted that the video was in violation of the platform's anti-harassment and anti-bullying policies, and that was why it was taken down, with the act of specifically doxing the reporter's phone number being the one that violated the YouTube policies.
Press freedom groups slammed Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador over the doxing incident, calling the president's actions "an attempt to punish critical reporting, and exposed the reporter to potential danger."
Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Doubles Down on Doxing New York Times Reporter
AMLO is not backing down on the issue of doxing, however, and has instead doubled down while also blaming his head of communications over the leak of information, according to The Star.
READ MORE: Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Says Law Does Not Apply To Him
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador claimed he shared a letter from the New York Times' bureau chief for Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean, Natalie Kitroeff, to his head of communications at his morning press conference. This reportedly showed her phone number, leading many to flood her with threatening messages.
He still defended his actions, though, saying, "Journalism is a public activity, like politics, and we all have to act with transparency."
However, many have pointed out that this act was in violation of Mexican law, which bars officials from spreading the personal information of other people. AMLO has since claimed he was above the law and immune because he is the president.
New York Times Slams Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Over Doxing
During his term as the president of Mexico, AMLO has been described as a "fierce critic of both domestic and foreign media." This was shown in his latest doxing incident as he blamed the backlash on conservatives in Mexico.
The New York Times has now responded to the incident with Nicole Taylor, a spokesperson for The Times, releasing a statement.
"This is a troubling and unacceptable tactic from a world leader at a time when threats against journalists are on the rise. We have since published the findings from this investigation, and stand by our reporting and the journalists who pursue the facts where they lead," it read.
READ MORE: Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's Allies Accused of Taking Money from Drug Cartels
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written by: Rick Martin
WATCH: Mexican president doxes New York Times journalists during press conference - NBC News