Mexico’s president on Friday defended his decision to disclose a reporter’s telephone number, saying a law that prohibits officials from releasing personal information doesn’t apply to him.
Press freedom groups said the president’s decision to make public the phone number of a New York Times reporter Thursday was an attempt to punish critical reporting, and exposed the reporter to potential danger.
Mexico’s law on Protection of Personal Data states “the government will guarantee individuals’ privacy” and sets out punishments for officials and others for “improperly using, taking, publishing, hiding, altering or destroying, fully or partially, personal data.”
“President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that “the political and moral authority of the president of Mexico is above that law,” adding that “no law can be above the sublime principle of liberty.””
And he’s just stating his opinion. I’m asking how he has abused that power in office for anything other than his personal rift with the media, which is largely personal.
Doesn’t that make it worse? If he abuses power for the good of the country, at least he has some principals. Abusing power to hurt people he’s personally unhappy with is just childish.
You make a good point. He did not just say “I am above the law” (paraphrased). He used his power to directly hurt someone and doesn’t want to take responsibility