1. On the first anniversary of his electoral triumph President López Obrador presented an activity report

President López Obrador organized an event in Mexico City to celebrate the anniversary of his electoral victory and to present a report of the activities he has performed since taking office 7 months ago. Among the guests from the business sector stood out the presence of Carlos Slim, one of the richest men in Mexico, and Emilio Azcárraga, Chairman of the Televisa Council.

The President assured that there is no economic recession and highlighted the achievements of his administration: the cancellation of the education bill, the distribution of welfare programs, the construction of a new airport in Santa Lucía military base, and the solid bilateral relation with the United States..

El Economista: No hay recesión, afirma AMLO en su reporte de labores a un año del triunfo electoral

2. Federal Police reached an agreement with the Government after going on national strike due to contract disputes

Last Sunday, the National Guard was officially deployed as a new security force in Mexico, which will absorb the Federal Police since this institution will be dissolved. For this reason, its members went on strike last Wednesday and Thursday due to contract disputes.

The Federal Police assured that, as part of this merger, their payment, benefits, seniority and rank would not be respected, so they held meetings with the Federal Government. Yesterday, leaders of the police organization and the Federal Government reached an agreement, which will lead to initiate the registration of federal police to the National Guard.

El Universal: Policías federales acuerdan iniciar registro a Guardia Nacional y liquidaciones

3. Santa Lucía Airport opening in 2022: Secretary of Defense 

According to the Secretariat of National Defense (Sedena), Santa Lucía airport will go in service by January 2022, instead of June 2021 as previously announced the President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

Although public resources will be used to finance the project, the Airport Use Tax (TUA) is being considered as an option to fund the construction. During the celebration of his electoral triumph, President López Obrador pointed out that, despite delays in construction works, the project is expected to be relaunched this month.

El Economista: Terminal de Santa Lucía no estará lista en el 2021: Sedena

4. Mexican Senate approves The Austerity Law. Opposition accuses of “hidden fund” for the President

Mexican Senate approved the Republican Austerity bill, as part of Morena´s flagship initiatives aimed to reduce government spending. The bill establishes to eliminate pensions for former Presidents, to limit spending on public officials’ security and to ban public employees from working for private companies for 10 years.

Opposition parties (PAN, PRD, PRI and MC) voted against the bill criticizing the waiting period for former public officials to work for the private sector as well as the presence of a “hidden fund” where budgetary savings obtained from the Austerity Law will be spent and the President will be able to operate as he sees fit.

El Financiero: Senado aprueba el ‘guardadito’ que controla el Presidente

5. Mexican Supreme Audit Institution spares former Governor of Chiapas alleged embezzlement of $685 million pesos of public funds 

An investigation of the media outlet Animal Político revealed that the Mexican Supreme Audit Institution had spared Manuel Velasco, former Governor of Chiapas, the alleged embezzlement of public funds, a total of $658 million pesos of public funds through a network of shell companies. The reports obtained by the media indicate that programs aimed to empower women from low-income families were used to misuse the government funds.

The duplicates signatures and records of photos taken as evidence of the events are shown as irregularities in the reports. According to Animal Político, Mexican Senate was about to call Manuel Velasco to a hearing in order to explain these accusations before being spared.

Animal Político: La ASF perdonó a Manuel Velasco desvío de 685 mdp; recursos de mujeres pobres fueron a empresas fantasma