The director of the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA), Michael Greensponwho is also part of the newspaper The New York Timesin the United States, said he was “disappointed” by the president’s performance Andrés Manuel López Obrador towards freedom of the press.
During his inaugural message at the 79th IAPA General Assemblyheld this Thursday in Mexico City, called “The Power of Freedom”, said that the opening table “seems a little incomplete. As is customary, at each general assembly we invite you to attend the president of the host country, regardless of your position towards the freedom of the press and the relationship with the press”, but regretted the absence of any representative of the government of the President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
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He also said that within the 79 general assemblies that the IAPA has had, “in 90 percent of those cases the president has attended,” he lamented.
“This time we are surprised, and disappointed, that Andrés Manuel López Obrador has not accepted our invitation, and that the government has not sent any representative to express their ideas, or criticisms, on the podiums,” he said.
“We know that the president has a different way of communicating with journalists,” he said. Likewise, he said that he also invited himself, “but without luck, to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, Alicia Bárcena. We also invite the (presidential) candidate of Brunette, Claudia Sheinbaumwho rejected our invitation to express his ideas about the freedom of the press in the future. We are disappointed with the attitude of the mexican government”, he pointed out.
Likewise, he said that he hopes that the next president in Mexico respect more the freedom of expressionn of what this government has done.
“Not recognizing the value of freedom of the press is to underestimate the value of democracy” concluded Michael Greenspon.
During his inaugural message, he called for warning about the relationships that the journalists in view of authoritarian governmentssuch as Daniel Ortega in Nicaragua or, in countries like Bolivia, Venezuela or Cuba.
Likewise, he said that it is necessary to reaffirm the commitment to defend and maintain freedom of the press and the integrity of journalists.
Present on the panel were: Gabriela Vivancopresident ofl IAPA Executive Committee and representative of Quito Time, Ecuador; the president of the IAPA Inclusion and Diversity Commission, Martha Ramoswho is also National Director Editorial at Mexican Editorial Organization (OEM).
In due course, Martha Ramos He also regretted the absence of the government and Mexico City authoritiesbecause he said that it is unfortunate that they cannot join this event.
“It is not a surprise, but if a disappointment that cannot join the Chapultepec declaration. Not only for us, but for the Yep”, he stressed.
“Interestingly, the can and the media let’s go for the same thing, one society more mature and more participatory and one democracy much freer. It is not that we are looking for a relationship of friendshipnobody is looking for her, we are looking for a relationship transparency and of I respect and acts like today’s do not help,” said Martha Ramos.
“I express this frustration. We do not like the level we have in the world with all the journalists that have been murdered and reality shows us that our work is more necessary than ever,” Ramos concluded.
He was also present at the inauguration Roberto Rock, first vice director of the IAPA and columnist for El Sol de México and director of the The Broken Chairwho said at the inauguration that he learned that “from the Foreign Ministry they asked to put pressure on the special rapporteur of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Pedro Vaca“so that he would not have any statement regarding freedom of expression in Mexico or even speak about the Chapultepec declaration”.
He added, “we don’t know if that pressure had no effect but the rapporteur refused to be with us,” Rock concluded.
Luciano Pascoe of TV Aztecawho served as president of the host committee of the 79th IAPA General Assemblyconfirmed that the media They are a fundamental part of the development of the democracy.
In addition, he read a resolution in which he asked to extend his solidarity with the people of Acapulco and asked that the government stop criticism of the coverage of journalists who report from the port.
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While, Gabriela Vivanco presented a message from elected president of Ecuador, Daniel Novoa and spoke about the presidential succession in his country.
He mentioned that in Ecuador have nine exiled journalists and wait transparency in the management of Novoa, in addition to establishing a mprotection mechanism for communicators at risk in the South American country.