Mexican president calls out media campaign against Donald Trump

By Jorge Antonio Rocha

MEXICO CITY (AA) - During his morning briefing on Thursday, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador accused US media of launching a vile campaign against former US President Donald Trump over his recent trial for mishandling classified documents.

Lopez Obrador accused the media of manipulating information against Trump following reports of his arrest for illegally holding classified documents. "There (in the US) is polarized, the media, and television networks against Trump."

"They start a trial for an alleged or supposed abuse of a lady (Stormy Daniels), and then another and another. And you read the report of those against former President Trump, which says: 'sentenced' or 'guilty of 37 crimes'. And the truth is that one has to search because, if not, one is left with the idea that he is already in jail," said Lopez Obrador.

Trump has been indicted with 37 charges for mishandling classified documents in a federal court in Miami, with the potential Republican candidate for the 2024 elections having pleaded non-guilty of all charges.

"In the political-electoral season, the media manipulate a lot, more than usual," said the Mexican president.

Lopez Obrador shared presidential terms with Trump from his election in late 2018 until the end of the Trump administration in 2020. During their short run, both presidents were said to find common ground in their populist and polarizing politics.

Since then, the Mexican leader has backed Trump in the face of the various accusations and legal proceedings he has met since he stepped down from office.

When Facebook and Twitter banned Trump's accounts in the wake of the January 6 attacks on the Washington Capitol by Trump supporters, the Mexican president slammed the social media companies accusing them of censorship.

In April, Trump faced 34 charges for allegedly forging accounting records in his attempt to disburse hush money throughout the 2016 presidential election. Lopez Obrador soon condemned the wire, again accusing a supposed plot to frustrate Trump's presidential plans.

"I reiterate and maintain my position that legal matters, supposedly legal matters, should not be used for political electoral purposes. That is why I do not agree with what they are doing to him (Trump)," said Lopez Obrador at a press conference on April 5.​​​​​​​