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1. Last presidential debate; Campaign closures begin 

On Sunday, May 19th, the presidential candidates met at the University Cultural Center in Mexico City, where they discussed social policy, insecurity, migration, and democracy. The meeting was notable for the accusations made among the candidates, who are seeking to increase their vote preference in the final days of the campaigns.

Prior to the debate, the opposition candidate, Xóchitl Gálvez, attended the ‘Pink Tide’ rally, held in the Capital’s Zócalo, with an attendance of 95,000 people, who protested the government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and voiced support for the candidate. She considered this event one of the most decisive moments of the campaign.

Excélsior: Entre propuestas, ataques y evasivas el tercer debate presidencial.

El País: Xóchitl Gálvez se lanza a los brazos de la ‘Marea Rosa’: “Antes que partido, tenemos a México”.

2. Inflation rises in May; economic policy presented

According to the National Institute of Geography and Statistics, the National Consumer Price Index (INPC) increased by 4.78% in the first half of May, compared to the same date last year. This figure remains outside the Central Bank’s target range, with an upper limit of 3%, so it chose to maintain the interest rate at 11%.

Regarding the macroeconomic situation, Rogelio Ramírez de la O, Secretary of the Treasury, commented that in the short term, economic policy aims to strengthen market confidence and preserve the fiscal and external debt balance to protect the market against external shocks, and in the medium term, to promote a model of shared development.

El Financiero: Estrategia de la SHCP es blindar economía ante riesgos externos.

El Economista: Inflación en México acelera de nuevo en la primera quincena de mayo a 4.78% anual. 

3. Stage collapses at rally with presidential candidate

During a campaign closing event on Wednesday night in San Pedro Garza, Nuevo León, where presidential candidate Jorge Álvarez Máynez was participating, the stage collapsed due to strong winds. While the candidate and his team managed to descend from the stage, the collapse of the structure resulted in the deaths of nine people and left more than 120 injured, as reported by the state governor, Samuel García.

Both President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the presidential candidates expressed their condolences and solidarity with the party and the affected individuals. Claudia Sheinbaum, Morena’s candidate, sent her condolences to the victims and cancelled the scheduled rally in the region on Thursday. Jorge Álvarez Máynez suspended his campaign activities for the following days.

CNN en Español: Al menos 9 muertos y 70 heridos tras accidente en evento de campaña de Álvarez Máynez en Nuevo León. 

Bloomberg en Línea: Tragedia en Nuevo León: AMLO y otras reacciones al incidente en la campaña electoral de Máynez.

4. AMLO meets with Arévalo; announces aid to Belize

During his morning press conference, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador confirmed that, after a meeting with Juan Briceño, Prime Minister of Belize, Mexico agreed to send electrical energy to the neighbouring country due to the high temperatures experienced in the region. This, despite the saturation and blackouts experienced by the electricity system in recent days due to the increased demand for electricity and the heatwave affecting the region.

Days earlier, the president met with his counterpart Bernardo Arévalo, President of Guatemala, with whom four crucial topics were addressed: border security, railway and port infrastructure, migration, and cooperation, aiming to establish a common agenda.

DW: Bernardo Arévalo y AMLO reunidos para “ayudarnos mutuamente”.

El Financiero: AMLO ‘prenderá’ a Belice: Confirma envío de energía al país pese a apagones en México.

5. Presentation of the State Competitiveness Index 2024 

The Mexican Institute for Competitiveness (IMCO) presented the 2024 edition of the State Competitiveness Index (ICE), which aims to assess the strengths and areas of opportunity of the 32 states. The evaluation is carried out through 50 indicators in areas such as innovation and technology, infrastructure, environment, and governance.

According to the study, Mexico City ranks first in competitiveness, followed by Baja California Sur, Coahuila, Nuevo León, and Querétaro, which make up the top five most competitive entities. Among the conclusions and recommendations of the study, the creation of state agencies to attract investment to nearshoring is proposed, as well as the promotion of digitization and proactive management of public debt.

IMCO: Índice de Competitividad Estatal 2024.

Expansión Política: CDMX, Baja California Sur y Coahuila son los estados más competitivos.