People’s Mañanera July 2

ByPedro Gellert

Every day, President Claudia Sheinbaum gives a morning presidential press conference and Mexico Solidarity Media posts English language summaries, translated by Mexico Solidarity’s Pedro Gellert. Previous press conference summaries are available here.

Mexico Maintains Its Solidarity with Venezuela
President Claudia Sheinbaum reported that 250 members of the Armed Forces, 71.2 metric tons of humanitarian aid, 8 power generators, food, medicine, and supplies from the Red Cross have been sent to support the Venezuelan people. Two survivors and a dog have been rescued, 40 bodies have been recovered, and 1,411 medical treatments have been provided. She also announced that the Navy will send a new shipment of aid and reiterated that “we will continue to support Venezuela.”

USMCA Remains in Force and Strengthens Mexico’s Economy
It was reported that Mexico, the United States, and Canada have begun reviewing the USMCA. The United States proposed annual reviews, while Mexico maintains its goal of strengthening the trade treaty. The first formal review will begin on July 20.

Meanwhile, Sheinbaum noted that more than 80% of Mexican exports to the United States remain tariff-free.

President Sheinbaum reiterated that “the treaty remains in effect,” that “at any time between now and 2036, it can be extended for an additional 16 years,” and that “there is no uncertainty”—as evidenced by the continued flow of investments into Mexico.

A Strong Economy and More Investment for Mexico
Sheinbaum noted that the Mexican peso has strengthened since 2018 and is currently trading at an average of 17.54 pesos per dollar, reflecting the strength of the country’s economy. The President argued that there is no concern that anything might happen to the Mexican economy, given that the country continues to strengthen its relations through the agreement with the European Union, the upcoming visit by the President of Switzerland, and efforts to boost investment with countries such as Canada, Japan, and South Korea.

Record Investment to Strengthen the Electric Grid
Sheinbaum explained that the power outages in Hermosillo were due to an overload in the distribution networks and announced a historic investment of 244 billion pesos (US$13.96 billion) during the current presidential administration to strengthen the electricity transmission and distribution networks, with the goal of creating a more efficient and reliable system, especially in regions with greater demand due to high temperatures.

Mexico Is Ready to Welcome the World
In response to the travel advisory issued by the United Kingdom, President Sheinbaum explained that “it is safe to visit the country; there is no problem.” She indicated that, following the large crowds gathered during the World Cup celebrations on Paseo de la Reforma, the Mexico City government will reinforce security measures by installing more screens to better handle fan gatherings and called on everyone to celebrate responsibly.