All articles tagged with #lopez obrador
A deadly train derailment in southern Mexico, resulting in 13 deaths and numerous injuries, has reignited corruption allegations linked to government infrastructure projects, particularly the interoceanic train initiated under former President López Obrador, amid ongoing concerns about safety and transparency.
Claudia Sheinbaum won a historic landslide to become Mexico's first female president, causing market jitters over potential constitutional reforms. Her victory, backed by outgoing president Lopez Obrador, saw the peso and stock market fall amid investor concerns. Sheinbaum faces challenges including security, economic growth, and U.S. relations.
Two federal detectives searching for 43 missing students in Mexico's Guerrero state have disappeared, prompting President López Obrador to launch a search effort. The disappearances highlight the breakdown of law and order in the state, where drug cartels are active. Guerrero has been plagued by the case of the missing students since 2014, and tensions have flared between the president and the students' families, who accuse him of not doing enough to investigate. The involvement of drug cartels in the region has led to a situation where parts of the country are effectively under their control, as acknowledged by the US director of national intelligence.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators in Mexico and abroad marched for democracy, demanding free and fair elections and railing against corruption ahead of the country's June 2 elections. The protests targeted Mexico's ruling party and its presidential front-runner, Claudia Sheinbaum, who is seen as a continuation candidate of popular populist leader Andrés Manuel López Obrador. López Obrador has been accused of endangering the country's democracy by slashing funding for the electoral agency and attacking journalists and the judiciary. Despite the protests, López Obrador remains highly popular and dismisses the demonstrations as an attempt to return the corrupt to power.
Thousands of demonstrators in Mexico and abroad marched in a "march for democracy" targeting the ruling party ahead of the country's June 2 elections, advocating for free and fair elections and railing against corruption. President López Obrador, accused of endangering democracy, remains highly popular, while presidential front-runner Claudia Sheinbaum officially registered as a candidate for the ruling party Morena. The protests, organized by opposition parties, saw thousands dressed in pink calling for López Obrador's removal, with marches held in a hundred cities across Mexico and in other countries.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators, clad in pink, marched in Mexico and abroad in a "march for democracy" targeting the ruling party ahead of the country's June 2 elections. The protests, organized by opposition parties, called for free and fair elections and criticized corruption, with approximately 90,000 people participating. President López Obrador, accused of endangering democracy, remains popular despite criticism. The protests come amid concerns about electoral fraud and attacks on candidates by drug cartels, with opposition groups advocating for the defense of democratic institutions.
Four Roman Catholic bishops in Mexico have engaged in talks with drug cartel leaders in an attempt to negotiate a peace accord, with President López Obrador expressing approval of such discussions. The bishops' actions highlight the government's policy of not directly confronting cartels, leaving citizens to seek their own peace deals. While the church's involvement in such talks has been acknowledged by the president, concerns remain about potential concessions and the government's ability to ensure public safety. The failed negotiations in the state of Guerrero reflect the ongoing challenges posed by drug cartels, which extend beyond drug trafficking to extortion and territorial control. The bishops' approach has been suggested to have implicit approval from Pope Francis, aligning with his belief in the need for dialogue in pursuit of peace, despite the church's reluctance to assume such a role.
President Biden and Mexican President López Obrador have pledged to work together on addressing migration and combating fentanyl trafficking, two key issues that have been targeted by 2024 Republican presidential candidates. The leaders, who have had disagreements in the past, expressed mutual admiration during their meeting in San Francisco. While no major new initiatives were announced, they emphasized their commitment to preventing drug trafficking and addressing the migratory phenomenon. Republicans have sought to tie Biden's policies to the surge in migrants and the influx of illicit drugs, making it an issue he is expected to confront in 2024. Former President Trump is planning to visit the U.S.-Mexico border to exploit Biden's weak numbers on immigration, particularly in the Rio Grande Valley, which is seen as an opportunity for Republicans to make strides with Latino voters.
President Biden and Mexican President López Obrador are set to meet in San Francisco during the APEC summit, as both countries navigate their upcoming presidential elections in 2024. The leaders will discuss touchy issues such as migration and the fentanyl trade, which could impact elections on both sides of the border. López Obrador's diplomatic rounds aim to strengthen his negotiating position with Biden, while Biden faces political pressure regarding border security and migration. The illicit trade in drugs, particularly fentanyl, is an area where both countries theoretically align, and they plan to address the issue with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador stated that the US government does not want to build new sections of the border wall on the US-Mexico border, casting doubt on the planned construction. This comes after the Biden administration announced its intention to continue building sections of the wall, a policy initiated by the Trump administration. President Biden clarified that the funds allocated for the construction were appropriated by Congress and he cannot redirect the money. The Mexican delegation expressed their belief that additional border wall construction is not the solution to the migration problem and emphasized the importance of addressing the root causes.
Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has failed to deliver on his promise to uncover the truth behind the 2014 disappearance of 43 student teachers in Iguala, Guerrero. Instead, he has allowed the investigation to stall, seemingly to protect his allies in the military. This inaction highlights López Obrador's unwillingness to address the deep-rooted issues of cartel violence, government corruption, and impunity that have plagued Mexico for decades. The international community, including the Organization of American States, should pressure the president to fulfill his commitment to justice and hold the military accountable for their role in the disappearances.
The Supreme Court of Mexico has invalidated the second part of the federal government's electoral reform package, which was passed by the ruling Morena party and its allies in Congress earlier this year. The court ruled that the legislation was rushed through without adequate time for lawmakers to understand and debate it, violating the principle of democratic deliberation. The reform package had slashed the budget of the National Electoral Institute (INE) and limited the powers of the Federal Electoral Tribunal, among other effects. The INE will now recover powers it lost during the brief period that the legislation was in effect.
Mexico's most populous state is expected to end the Institutional Revolutionary Party's (PRI) 94-year rule in gubernatorial elections on Sunday, with the party likely to be left with just two states. Morena, the party founded by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), is expected to win and control 22 of Mexico's 31 states, leading some to warn of a new kind of one-party rule. The PRI's demise is attributed to its history of corruption and the rise of Morena, whose success rests on AMLO's popularity and his promises to combat corruption and prioritize the poor.
Mexico's presidential jet, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, has been sold to Tajikistan for about $92 million, according to President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. The sale price is significantly lower than the original purchase price of $218 million in 2012. The proceeds will be used to build two public hospitals in southern Guerrero and Oaxaca states. Lopez Obrador, who has championed budget austerity, takes commercial flights when he travels.
Mexico's Supreme Court has ruled that the transfer of the National Guard from civilian to military control was unconstitutional, dealing a blow to President Andrés Manuel López Obrador who created the security force in 2019. The National Guard was created to replace the disbanded federal police, but last year, Mexico's Congress passed legislation shifting control of the National Guard to the military. López Obrador had argued that it was the only way to avoid the corruption that engulfed the federal police.