Introduction
In recent months, accusations of government censorship in Mexico have escalated alarmingly. Various institutions, authorities, and powers have attempted to silence criticisms or control the dissemination of information. These attempts sometimes take the form of legislative initiatives, like the Telecommunications and Radio Broadcasting Law that imposed excessive restrictions on broadcast content, or judicial resolutions that either prohibit the dissemination of information or force uncomfortable critics to publicly apologize to restore the offended official’s honor.
The Campeche Case: Layda Sansores and Institutionalized Censorship
Among the legal ecosystem that is already hostile to media, the case of Campeche’s governor, Layda Sansores, stands out as particularly concerning. Sansores has made censorship a cornerstone of her governance, systematically intimidating those she deems enemies through an institutionalized mechanism financed with public resources.
Government’s Legal Apparatus for Personal Defense
The Campeche government employs its legal apparatus indiscriminately to file lawsuits against media and journalists publishing information that displeases the governor. These processes are usually managed by public officials from her government, such as Walther David Patrón Bacab, the Secretary of Communication and Social Promotion, or servants of the Local Legal Advisory Council, like Juan Pedro Alcudia and César Cuauhtémoc Sánchez Cabrera.
While it’s true that executive institutions typically have a Communication and Social Promotion department for disseminating the government’s actions, their primary function should not be to build or maintain the personal image of the governor or the political party that nominated them. Similarly, the Legal Advisory Council’s purpose is to defend the government legally, not to pursue lawsuits on behalf of the governor’s personal interests.
Misusing Public Resources for Personal Attacks
Layda Sansores has misused government human resources to file lawsuits for moral damages and incitement to hatred, among other cases, to defend her personal image rather than the institutional interests of the Campeche government. A notable example is the civil and criminal actions taken against Jorge Luis González and Tribuna, a digital media outlet in Campeche, resulting in the imposition of a judicial censor on the latter.
Media Communication Tool for Personal Attacks
Beyond the offensive legal team, Sansores also established a media communication tool: her own program, “Martes del Jaguar,” broadcast weekly via the internet. In this show, she directly attacks journalists, using caricatures and satire to ridicule them at public expense.
The Campeche Television and Radio System acknowledged, amid contradictions, that each episode of “Martes del Jaguar” costs $11,863.50 MXN, requiring two cameramen and one audio operator, along with two video cameras and an audio console (request for access to information, file number 040085400001422).
Public Scrutiny and Concerns
As of today, numerous requests for access to information on the National Transparency Platform question the funding source of “Martes del Jaguar” and the laptops and motorcycles Sansores “gifts” during the program, seeking information on potential administrative responsibility investigations and human rights violations committed through the program.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the issue? The governor of Campeche, Layda Sansores, has been accused of using public resources to censor journalists and attack critics through legal means and a media communication tool.
- Who is Layda Sansores? Layda Sansores is the current governor of the Mexican state of Campeche, known for her controversial use of public resources to target journalists and critics.
- What specific actions has she taken? She has filed lawsuits for moral damages and incitement to hatred, imposed judicial censorship on media outlets, and used her own program “Martes del Jaguar” to attack journalists.
- How much does this cost taxpayers? Each episode of “Martes del Jaguar” reportedly costs around $11,863.50 MXN, funded by public resources.
- What are the concerns of the public? Citizens have raised questions about the funding sources, potential human rights violations, and the misuse of public resources for personal vendettas against journalists and critics.
