Mexico City, March 16 (teleSUR-RHC) The international radio network MVS Radio announced late Sunday that the acclaimed Mexican journalist Carmen Aristegui was fired following a controversy after the dismissal of two journalists from Aristegui's team.
The radio network said in an official statement that it will not accept the “ultimatum” given by Aristegui, demanding the rehiring of her colleagues Daniel Lizarraga and Irving Huerta, as a condition to continue her four-hour news radio show, the most listened to in Mexico.
"We regret the position of Carmen Aristegui, but as a company we cannot accept conditions from our employees. You don't obtain dialogue by imposing conditions, but listening to parties and trying to reach agreements," read the station’s release.
The controversy began last week with the announcing of a new web site called MexicoLeaks, a new experiment in free speech created by independent media organizations in Mexico to share information to denounce and investigate official corruption. People can anonymously submit documents that might uncover Mexico's government corruption cases.
According to MVS Communications, Aristegui, who is a founder of Mexicoleaks, used the name of Noticias MVS when announcing the launch of the site.
The accusation led to a controversy between the company and the journalist, while two of her key collaborators who exposed a real state scandal involving President Enrique Peña Nieto's wife, were fired. Former actress Angelica Rivera was registered as the owner of a mansion in Mexico City purchased from a firm that obtained government contracts. So far the government has not clarified the case.
Soon after MVS announced its decision to fire Aristegui, the Twitter hashtag #endefensadearistegui (in defense of Aristegui) became viral, with people questioning the ties between Mexican media and the government.
Aristegui was fired by the same company in 2011 for addressing rumors that Mexican former President Felipe Calderon has an alleged alcohol problem.
She is among Mexico's most famous journalist, and has a nightly talk-show on the Spanish-language service of CNN.
