Mexico’s National Defense Ministry ( Sedena ) has sealed the flight logbook followed to bring former Bolivian President Evo Morales to Mexico on November 11, which contradicts the current administration’s policies of openness and transparency , as emphasized by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador .
The Sedena claims that the reason behind this decision is that this is sensitive information that if made public, it would reveal methods and protocols implemented during this type of situation and that this information could put the physical integrity of the military personnel who participated in the mission at risk .
This is not the first time information is sealed. During the current federal administration, the armed forces have implemented this measure several times, as in the case of the operation to arrest Ovidio Guzmán in Culiacán , Sinaloa or the shooting between the army and a criminal group in Tepochica , Guerrero, where 15 people died. In all these cases, it was argued that the information was a risk to national security and that it was a measure to protect all those involved.
It seems strange that once again, the Sedena can’t release a public version of the operation to bring a former President to Mexico and grant him asylum . Years ago, arguing that information was a risk to national security as an excuse to block access to information. For example, in the case of former President Evo Morales , the Mexican government used material and logistic resources and invested public resources in a decision that won’t be explained to taxpayers, without providing an explanation of the use of public money, which seems arbitrary. Hopefully, the INAI will intervene and releases a public version of the flight itinerary .
A government that calls itself a leftist administration should promote transparency , an important issue with previous administrations and considering that accountability is an essential part of the fight against corruption . President López Obrador once said that nothing would be done without informing society while defending the use of referendums to legitimize the actions implemented by his administration. These same criteria should apply to situations that involve other countries.
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