By Natalia Rueda 
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador refused to grant a right of reply to the National Action Party’s (PAN) Senator Xóchitl Gálvez, who wanted to exercise her right to respond to the president before a signal from him.
The dispute between Gálvez and the president began on December 5th, when the legislator accused López Obrador of seeking to pay off the support programs for elderly people, something which the senator denied. On June 7th, a federal judge granted Gálvez protection, and ordered that the president grant her the right of reply during the live broadcast of his morning conference “at the same time and with similar characteristics.”
When she arrived at the National Palace, Gálvez was greeted by supporters of López Obrador who were waiting to confront her, as well as supporters of Gálvez who expressed their support for her. The president, however, stated during his press conference that Gálvez was only after publicity as she is currently aspiring for the presidency of Mexico City. He then declared that “the right of admission is reserved”, refusing to grant Gálvez the right to respond.
Gálvez issued a statement expressing her disappointment in the president’s refusal. She argued that López Obrador was lacking in respect for the rule of law, and accused him of being afraid of an open and unbiased debate. She vowed to continue pursuing the protection granted to her, and said that the truth will be notified to the judge in case it fails to be exercised. So far, the Mexican Presidency has not issued a response.
The incident has highlighted the increasingly tense political climate in Mexico, in which President López Obrador’s tenure has been marked by numerous controversial policy decisions that have been widely criticized. As political divisions only seem to be deepening, it remains to be seen whether or not the Mexican president will reconsider his decision and grant Senator Gálvez’s right of reply.