Legislator Gerardo Fernández Noroña defended José Ramón López Beltrán, son of former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, after he was spotted in Houston with a luxury Hermès bag. From Europe, Noroña argued that he is not required to account for his actions as he is not a public official and attributed the criticism to ongoing hatred toward his father.
Gerardo Fernández Noroña, in a live broadcast from Europe, came to the defense of José Ramón López Beltrán, the eldest son of Andrés Manuel López Obrador. The Morena legislator criticized the negative reactions following photos showing López Beltrán in Houston, Texas, carrying a Hermès bag, a brand synonymous with luxury.
Noroña highlighted the resentment toward López Obrador since his 2018 election victory and the progress of the Fourth Transformation. "What level of hatred do they have for comrade Andrés Manuel López Obrador?", he questioned in the video. He insisted that the criticisms aim to target the former president through his family, undermining Morena's promoted principles of austerity.
Regarding López Beltrán, Noroña described him as a "good comrade and human being" who has not engaged in politics for seven years. He is married, lives in the United States, and does not seek public office. "If his income allows him to buy it, let him buy it", he justified the bag, rejecting any obligation to explain personal expenses.
This is not the first scrutiny for López Beltrán. In August 2025, he sparked controversy over a vacation in Cancún with his children Salomón and Natalia at the The Grand Mayan hotel, where rates range from 9,800 to 30,000 pesos per night. In response, he posted on X: "I am not a public official. I hold no position and manage no government resources. I work, like many other people, and when possible, I also seek to spend time with my family." He denied claims of unemployment, citing private projects that avoid the spotlight.
Noroña's defenses underscore tensions between Morena's austerity image and the lifestyle of those close to its founder, amid ongoing political polarization.
