After journalist Dolia Estévez published a column in which she accused that the Mexican Journalists Club is co-opted by Russia and that it possibly receives financing from the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the association issued a position in which it denies the allegations. published last April 1.
Here the full text:
To the public opinion:
In the face of malicious attempts, and without evidentiary argument to disqualify the legitimate and legal functions of our institution, we present the following:
The Club of Journalists of Mexico has been and is the organization with the greatest journalistic tradition in our country. Since its genesis, in the 1950s, its principles have been to defend freedom of expression, the right to inform and act truthfully. This also benefits citizens and new audiences.
In its raison d’être, it has also promoted, in legislative forums, constitutional laws that protect journalists and safeguard their lives, when they are at risk or threatened for the simple fact of exercising their profession.
The Club of Journalists of Mexico, AC, is a noble independent institution that does not receive any financing from the government or foreign governments, nor from any political party or private institution. Their actions are free and autonomous. It is governed, under the rules of civil associations and foundations, to self-generate its livelihood and promote academic activities, training courses, conferences or symposiums. Therefore, we reiterate that no foreign or national financing is received for the performance of its activities.
The now legendary National and International Journalism Award, organized annually by our institution, has positioned itself as the genuine bastion of recognition among peers, beyond our borders. Its weight, significance and value lies in its free selection by an independent jury that, in an ethical and academic manner, awards the more than twenty recognitions for different categories each year.
It is essential to point out that, as the winners know, the awarded journalistic works have no ideology, partisan seal or conditioning by an economic position. Its plurality, equity, precision, research and transcendence and ethical treatment are current factors in our evaluation.
Thus, colleagues from Italy, Cuba, Spain, France, Canada, Argentina, Chile, United States, Uruguay, Venezuela, among others, have been awarded in different stages of said contest. Given technological advances, the improvement of journalistic practice in all its dimensions, and the transformation of societies, today highly trained journalism with solid academic training and a global vision is required to be able to decode messages and translate them into simple language. .
Hence, we are committed to permanent training, as well as the establishment of collaborations with institutions and media from other countries, in a plural and diverse way to interact and exchange experiences, far from a village perspective.
The altruism in the Journalists Club of Mexico is also reflected, by conceiving and maintaining, for years, the journalist’s inn in its facilities, where 100% care is provided, with medical, food and lodging services, male and female journalists, who for some reason no longer have a family or the possibility of supporting themselves. In addition to having spaces for persecuted and displaced communicators from the province.
Needless to say, our institution promptly reports on its activities, through its own completely independent media: the biweekly magazine “Voces del Periodista”, a radio program of the same name and a news update website “Voces del Periodista Diario”.
The Journalists Club of Mexico is for the truth. For the defense of freedom of expression and the rights of journalists. Today that Mexico is entering transition, we renew our conviction to build a plural house, in equity and freedom.