A son of López Obrador denounces the leak of his phone on networks out of revenge, after his father leaked that of a journalist

Efe Mexico City

Mexico City

Updated Saturday, February 24, 2024-17:55

José Ramón López Beltrán, eldest son of the president of Mexico,

Andrés Manuel López Obrador

, denounced this Saturday that his phone number was leaked on social networks and attributed it to revenge, after his father disclosed data from Natalie Kitroeff, head of the New York Times correspondent in Mexico.

The journalist published a report on alleged links with drug traffickers of some close to the president.

"In the last few hours, I have been

subject to an act of invasion of my privacy

, through the leaking of my phone number," denounced the Mexican president's first-born son on his X account.

López Beltrán described the leak of his phone number as

"a form of revenge and an attempt to harm"

that not only affected him but also endangered his family and safety.

He recalled that the situation began after the letter that Kitroeff sent to his father, which, he argued, contained "threats and lies" addressed to the president and pointed out that what happened next was a consequence of the journalist's decision to

expose in the letter her phone number

thinking that López Obrador would respond to her "slander" by calling her.

In addition, he said that the journalist's telephone number was already public on the Internet.

"I urge you to verify and confirm this fact."

Likewise, he stated that the

president responded directly

to the communicator, without involving his family members, and questioned why they sought revenge by disclosing his phone number.

"What do I have to do with all that?" he asked.

The controversy arose on Thursday, when the

Mexican president exhibited a letter from Kitroeff with his phone

and a questionnaire about a United States investigation, now closed, of alleged bribes from the Sinaloa Cartel and the Zetas Cartel that the

López campaign received.

Obrador in 2018

and that also involved his children.

The dissemination of the journalist's private information sparked an investigation by the National Institute of Transparency, Access to Information and Protection of Personal Data (Inai), in addition to a

statement from the New York Times

and criticism from organizations such as the Committee to Protect Journalists. (CPJ), who agreed on the risk that this represents in Mexico, one of the countries with the most murders of communicators.

However, this Friday López Obrador dismissed the investigation and defended having disclosed the journalist's data because he assured that there cannot be any regulation,

"there cannot be any law above the sublime principle that is freedom

. And my right? And the right to slander? Does she have the right to slander?" he remarked.

"Change your phone" if you're worried

When asked if

the decision to disclose

the telephone number of the head of the New York Times correspondent in Mexico, Natalie Kitroeff, on Thursday in its morning program - known as "la mañanera" - was wrong, due to the risks that this would represent for The ruler ruled out that this could be considered a mistake.

"Change your phone number,"

López Obrador replied, if the journalist feels worried.

López Beltrán announced that this is the second time that his phone number was leaked, and that

he did not mind changing it again

, but he wondered how long they planned to continue harassing him and his family members.

"I do not work as a journalist, much less in the public sector. Therefore, I wish

to continue maintaining the privacy of my family

and myself until I decide otherwise," he concluded his post.