Overview
- President Claudia Sheinbaum told citizens not to watch TV Azteca during a morning conference and directly linked the broadcaster to a campaign that labeled officials 'narcogobernadores', a comment made on Monday that triggered the dispute.
- TV Azteca issued an institutional statement calling the exhortation 'an evident attempt at censorship' and accused the presidency and allies of complicity with organized crime in its on‑air and written responses.
- Sheinbaum defended the remark as a personal opinion, denied using state power to silence the network, and said she will not pursue revocation of broadcasting concessions while asserting a right of reply.
- Press groups including the Inter American Press Association and the Alianza de Medios Mx warned that a presidential call to avoid a given outlet can chill journalism and stigmatize reporters in an already polarized environment.
- The confrontation produced immediate effects for audiences and politics: TV Azteca reported a one‑day spike—more than 33 million viewers—and prominent hosts such as Pati Chapoy led forceful on‑air rebuttals, leaving the conflict unresolved and politically charged.