Carmen Aristegui Reached Out To MVS Radio To Reconsider Removal Of News Staff

Journalist Aristegui wants dialogue with MVS Communications/Radio owners to resolve conflict over Mexico Leaks and contract assuring freedom of expression and agreements reached in the last six years.

By H. Nelson Goodson

Hispanic News Network U.S.A.

March 19, 2015

Mexico City - On Thursday, María del Carmen Aristegui Flores, journalist and radio host for Aristegui Noticias formally aired by MVS Communications/Radio (MVSC/R) called for MVSC/R, including the owners, the Vargas family to reconsider their decision to remove Aristegui News from the air and to end their contract with Aristegui. Aristegui during a 50 minute live streaming on YouTube sent out an invitation for Joaquín Vargas, one of the owners of MVSC/R to meet with her on Monday. She indicated that the Aristegui News staff is ready to return to work, the moment the Vargas family would decide to do so.

Aristegui questioned how MVSC/R decided to remove her and the rest of her staff from the air. She alleged that President Enrique Peña Nieto's narco-government or others (possibly the PRI Party) was behind the powerful force to remove her from the air in order to stop them from reporting about upcoming  government corruption scandals.

Aristegui said, that she is open to work out the differences or any misunderstanding between their alliance with Mexico Leaks. She confirmed that the MVSC/R corporate name was never exploited or used in any way that would make money or compromise the integrity of the company. MVSC/R had claimed that both Daniel Lizárraga and Irving Huerta, members of the Aristegui News had used the corporate name to secure an alliance with Mexico Leaks, a Web site for whistle-blowers to submit information  and supporting documents of government corruption.

Aristegui denied MVSC/R's claim that they used the corporate name without authorization and in any case that issue would be easily negotiated. She mentioned that the Vargas family must have endured enormous pressure or threats by the Peña Nieto's narco-government to come to the conclusion to remove the Aristegui News from the air and breaking her contract.

Aristegui was paid by MVS at least $1,200,000 pesos ($80,000 U.S.) per month by contract, the Financiero reported.
Aristegui said, if MVSC/R would not reconsider her removal from the air, she would have no other option than to file a civil lawsuit for unfair breach of contract.

MVSC/R also removed both Adriana Buentello and Ame Motta after publicly supporting Aristegui's news staff, but the company says, they were terminated due to employee cut backs.

She alleged that Peña Nieto's narco-government is an authoritarian government that has engaged in attempting to limit freedom of expression by journalists and had paid other corrupt journalists that took bribes to report without naming Aristegui News that it had made an alliance with Mexico Leaks and indicating the use of the corporate name without authorization. The Peña Nieto's narco-government has more than 20 journalists under their payroll.

Carmen Aristegui's press conference starts at 4:42 into video: https://youtu.be/XPaHFU-CPCw


Update: The MVS Communications Vice President Felipe Chao in a three page statement responded to Aristegui's plea to reconsider her removal from the air, he said that the working relationship between Aristegui and MVS has ended and wished her success in her future endeavors. The MVS corporation will not accept ultimatums or demands from radio hosts and employees, according to Chao. Chao confirmed that Aristegui's contract was renewed in December and had received a new company car. MVS is not limiting freedom of expression with the latest policies that took effect on Monday and no one was fired for exposing the White House real estate scandal involving Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto and his wife, Angélica Rivera. The author of that story, Rafael Cabrera continues to be employed at MVS. The reason Aristegui's contract was terminated was that she knew for eight months that Daniel Lizárraga and Irving Huerta had been planning to form an alliance with Mexico Leaks under MVS, which the owners and the administration didn't know until she announced the alliance on her program, Chao says. Chao confirmed that the working relationship between MVS Radio and Aristegui has ended.
Both Rafael Cabrera and Sebastián Barragán confirmed that Chao and MVS Communications are lying about Cabrera still employed by MVS Radio. Cabrera and Barragán say, the two were fired from MVS along with the Aristegui's News staff.