Mexico City's Mayor Gives Julian Assange Keys To City

Mayor of Mexico City Claudia Sheinbaum gave the keys to the city Wednesday to Julian Assange.

"We gave the Keys to the City to the family of Julian Assange. For us, Julian represents truth and freedom of expression. We are a progressive City that has always defended great freedoms and the right to free access to information," Sheinbaum wrote on Twitter.

The keys were received by John and Gabriel Shipton, father and brother of the Wikileaks founder. They are currently in Mexico as honorary guests of Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, invited by the Mexican president to attend the commemoration of Mexico's independence Sept. 16.

Lopez Obrador has often pledged his support for Assange, urging US President Joe Biden to release Assange, whom he considers "the best journalist of our time."

The Mexican president has also said that "Mexico's doors are open for Assange," offering him political asylum.

"I left a letter to President Biden explaining that he did not commit any serious crime, Assange, he did not cause anyone's death, he did not violate any human right, and that detaining him would mean a permanent affront to freedom of expression and freedom. And I explain that Mexico offers protection and asylum to Julian Assange", Lopez Obrador said in July.

He said if the US does not free Assange, he would start a campaign to remove the Statue of Liberty in New York City.​​​​​​​

Assange is being held in the UK where authorities authorized his extradition in June to the US, where he is wanted for his alleged role in espionage and the dissemination of classified US military information.

The US Justice Department labeled Assange's actions as part of the "largest compromises of classified information in the history of the United States."​​​​​​​ -