In Mexico, media censorship has been a persistent problem, exacerbated in recent times with the Morena party in power. Although some argue that the current restrictions on freedom of expression are unprecedented, the truth is that the control of the press has been a constant in the country. Governors from various parties have been criticized for their relationship with the media, ranging from arbitrary detentions to lawsuits for moral damages, as in the recent case of Layda Sansores in Campeche. The promise of a free press, expected after the democratic transition, remains unfulfilled, with practices of media control such as the discretionary allocation of government advertising and gifts to journalists.
In addition, media manipulation extends into the digital realm, with the use of bot farms and strategies to influence social networks. The less-regulated platforms have become fertile ground for economic and political power. The need for a truly democratic press requires significant changes: appropriate funding, an audit of the use of public resources, and a culture of readers willing to pay for quality content. Two recent phenomena worsen the situation: the use of legal challenges as a tool of censorship and the rise of strategic litigation, both of which exploit the legal loopholes in the judicial system in a country where protecting press freedom remains a persistent challenge.
Read the full news article on The Country.
