Shielding behind freedom of expression and democracy, President López Obrador is sticking to his guns and will continue to use terms that might discredit the media despite a rights commission reproach.

The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) admonished the president last week and called for restraint in the way he speaks about dissenting opinions.

Last week, Edison Lanza, the commission’s special rapporteur for freedom of expression, declared that the media’s vulnerability increases when authorities and government officials make up terms that discredit their work.

The president’s favorite term for describing people he believes are opposed to him or his policies is fifí, meaning elitist or posh.

One frequent target has been one of Mexico’s major daily newspapers, Reforma, which he has accused of ignoring corruption in the past.

A recent criticism of the newspaper, after it published his home address, appeared to trigger death threats against its editor.

Yesterday, López Obrador declared that he respected the IACHR’s point of view “very much,” but does not agree with it.

“We are all free,” the president said, “and of course I will continue talking about conservatives and the elitist press. I will not restrain myself. [We will act] with responsibility, guaranteeing the right of all to express ourselves . . . the right to criticism, the right to dissent.”

There must be dialogue, López Obrador said.

Source: El Financiero (sp)