August 2nd, 2024
1. Claudia Sheinbaum’s appointments continue
Claudia Sheinbaum, president-elect of Mexico, announced two new members of her expanded cabinet. They are Arturo Zaldívar, who will serve as General Coordinator of Policy and Government, and Leticia Ramírez, who will be General Coordinator of Intergovernmental Affairs and Social Participation. Both positions are part of the Office of the President of the Republic.
Both personalities have caused controversy in their political careers. Leticia Ramírez, current head of the Secretariat of Public Education, was questioned for her lack of preparation when she arrived at the agency. On the other hand, Zaldívar faces an investigation by the Judiciary regarding his performance when he was president of the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation, and his impartiality and independence have been questioned for his having resigned to join the Fourth Transformation movement. Now he will be the one who, from the cabinet, will promote constitutional reforms such as that of the judiciary.
CNN: Quién es Arturo Zaldívar, titular de la Coordinación de Política y Gobierno de México
2. Security intensified after arrest of Mexican drug traffickers and calls for clarification of facts
After the arrest in the United States of two of the most wanted drug traffickers in the world – Israel “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López (son of Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán) – the Mexican government increased security in the state of Sinaloa in the face of a possible dispute between cartels that could provoke waves of violence.
However, what has drawn the most attention is the lack of information from the Mexican government regarding the arrest. President López Obrador called for patience and to wait for the report from the U.S. Department of Justice. So far, it is not known if it was an act planned by both drug leaders, a betrayal or if their arrest was the result of a U.S. operation. The only certainty is that neither the Army, the Navy nor the National Guard participated in the capture, so it is presumed that they were not aware of the operation.
El Financiero: Detención del ‘Mayo’ Zambada: Refuerzan seguridad en Sinaloa con efectivos militares
Reporte Índigo: A una semana de detención de “El Mayo” Zambada, Gobierno de AMLO sigue sin certeza
3. Mexico shows signs of economic slowdown, but Treasury is optimistic
According to data from the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (Inegi), the Mexican economy grew only 1.1% during the second quarter of 2024, which is considerably lower than the 1.9% growth shown in the first three months of the year, making this the worst quarter since 2021. When disaggregated by sector, services and the agricultural sector fell, while construction showed slight growth.
In view of an anticipated cut in the growth outlook for the end of the year, where specialists foresee a deeper deceleration, Rodrigo Mariscal, head of the Economic Planning Unit of the Secretariat of Treasury and Public Credit, indicated that they expect that, as the shocks observed in the following months are diluted, economic growth will be aligned with the official estimate of the agency of 3%.
El Financiero: Economía de México se ‘congela’ en recta final de AMLO: Crece 1.1% en segundo trimestre
El Economista: Hacienda descarta una desaceleración de la economía en lo que resta del 2024
4. Committee on Constitutional Issues of the Chamber of Deputies approves four reforms of the President
The Committee of Constitutional Issues of the Chamber of Deputies, in charge of the study and approval of constitutional reforms, approved, after seven hours of discussion, four of the initiatives proposed by President López Obrador last February. These reforms seek to elevate to constitutional rank the program called “Youth Building the Future”; the retirement pension with an amount of 100 percent of the last labor income; the determination that salary increases will be above the growth of inflation and the diverse support for workers to acquire decent housing.
The four rulings achieved the consensus of all political forces and will be proposed for discussion during the next legislature, which begins in September. However, the most controversial reforms of the administration, such as the disappearance of constitutionally autonomous agencies and the reform of the Judiciary, have yet to be approved.
El País: Los diputados aprueban las primeras reformas constitucionales de López Obrador
5. Mexico is cautious about elections in Venezuela
The government of President López Obrador has been cautious about taking a position on the presidential elections in Venezuela, in which Nicolás Maduro was declared the winner, amidst a large number of irregularities, such as the forbidding of international electoral observers to enter the country, and the allegations of electoral fraud by supporters of the opposition candidate Edmundo González, who has been declared the winner and whose victory has been recognized by the United States.
The Mexican president caused controversy for not attending the meeting of the Organization of American States and for criticizing its request to arrest Maduro, in addition to pointing out that there is not enough evidence of electoral fraud. Regarding his call with Brazil and Colombia, he expressed that there were coincidences in calling for non-violence and preserving the electoral records; however, both countries abstained from voting to make such records public, while Mexico did not even participate in the meeting.
Forbes: AMLO afirma que ‘no hay pruebas’ de fraude en Venezuela y cuestiona a la OEA