MEXICO CITY – Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s son decried the publication of his phone number on social media as an act of “vengeance” after his father publicly released a journalist’s contact information.

Mr Jose Ramon Lopez Beltran said his own phone number had been leaked and that he has been receiving threats, according to a post on social media platform X on Feb 24. His account has since been suspended.

This came after Mr Obrador disclosed the phone number of a journalist for The New York Times, which published an article on a preliminary US probe into alleged ties between the President’s allies and narcotics gangs.

Ruling Morena party presidential candidate Claudia Sheinbaum said on X on Feb 24 that her phone number had also been leaked, and she has been receiving non-stop calls and hate messages.

She posted one of the messages, describing it as “crude” and “harmless”, and said she would change her phone number.

Mr Obrador defended his decision to share the journalist’s phone number because he said the article was slanderous and the request for comment on deadline was an “ultimatum”.

The President’s move drew criticism from media rights advocates, who said it was irresponsible.

According to Reporters Without Borders, Mexico is considered one of the world’s most dangerous countries for journalists.

Transparency watchdog Inai said in a statement that it would investigate the President’s decision to share the journalist’s number as a possible violation of a law that protects data in the hands of government officials. BLOOMBERG