MEXICO CITY -- Mexican officials have hit back at rumors swirling that Mexican President Felipe Calderon had a problem with alcoholism in the wake of the controversial firing of a radio journalist who reported the claims.

“During the four years of his administration (the president) has never missed any activity for health reasons,” Calderon spokesman Roberto Gil said Wednesday, describing the rumors as “lies.”
Radio journalist Carmen Aristegui of the media conglomerate MVS Comunicaciones was removed from her position Monday after commenting on a placard that opposition lawmakers held up in Congress last week alleging that Calderon was an alcoholic.

“Would you let a drunk drive your car? No, right? So why are you letting one run the country?” Aristegui asked on her show Friday.
“Does Felipe Calderon have problems with alcoholism or not?” she asked, calling for a “formal and official response” from the president's office on the issue.
MVS said in announcing her removal, which has sparked a debate here on free speech for media professionals, that Aristegui had violated their code of ethics of “rejecting the presentation and spread of rumors as news.” source