Introduction
In recent weeks, Mexico has witnessed a series of attacks on freedom of expression. Last week, we discussed how a judge in Jalisco state linked members of the musical band “Los Alegres del Barranco” to prosecution for performing a corrido and displaying an image of “El Mencho.” This week, we have seen three more attacks:
- Senator Noroña demanding apologies from a citizen who verbally confronted him with offensive speech in a waiting room.
- Senator Morales proposing sanctions, including jail time, for those urging the public to abstain from voting in judicial elections.
- The case of De Mauleón, which we will explore below.
The De Mauleón Case
Tania Contreras, former legal advisor to the government of Américo Villarreal and current candidate for Supreme Court magistrate, filed a complaint against journalist Héctor De Mauleón with the Electoral Institute of Tamaulipas. The complaint stems from a column in which De Mauleón reported, based on leaks from Guacamaya, that:
“On August 18, 2022, then Secretary of National Defense Luis Cresencio Sandoval requested… an investigation into alleged crimes committed against the customs system during Horacio Duarte’s tenure as director of the National Customs Agency of Mexico… In a letter sent on that date, General Sandoval referred to the existence of a corruption network involving bribes, extortion, and huachicol (fuel theft), implicating Juan Carlos Madero Larios as the administrator of Customs Operations.”
Juan Carlos Madero Larios is Tania Contreras’ brother-in-law. De Mauleón stated, “This is a direct attack on freedom of expression, an act of prior censorship, and something we cannot accept. If we do, others will demand the removal of content they dislike and prevent any mention of them. Our hands will be tied.” He is right; accepting this criterion would normalize the censorship of critical journalism.
Context and Broader Implications
This incident follows another recent case where Article 19, a freedom of expression advocacy group, spoke out against a ruling that fined, publicly apologized, and ordered the removal of an article by journalist Ángel Camarillo for allegedly promoting political gender-based violence. Camarillo’s offense? “He referenced over ten cases of familial connections between individuals aspiring for public office and those already holding such positions.”
While legislation protecting women from gender-based political violence may have good intentions, it can also be misused to silence opponents. This highlights the dangers of employing censorship to curb offensive content, as it can inadvertently suppress legitimate criticism and hinder democratic processes.
The Importance of Freedom of Expression
Freedom of expression is crucial for exposing abuses, corruption, and power errors. Without it, there can be no democracy. Any politician not actively working to protect freedom of expression is an enemy of democracy, a defender of totalitarianism that demands praise from allies and silence or subservience from opponents.
