PEOPLE’S MAÑANERA MAY 15

ByMexico Solidarity

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 Frank. Previous press conference summaries are available here.

Recognition of Teachers and Labor Benefits

President Claudia Sheinbaum congratulated Mexico’s teachers on Teacher’s Day. She reported that she will meet with teachers -mainly in basic education- to address issues such as:

  • Salary increase
  • Additional labor benefits
  • Progress in the loan interest freeze program.
  • Application of reductions in balances on loans granted by FOVISSSTE.

Promoting Domestic Product Consumption

Minister of Economy Marcelo Ebrard announced the signing of a voluntary agreement to increase the domestic content of products for sale to the public. The objective is to increase the presence of made-in-Mexico items in self-service, department, specialty, and retail stores and e-commerce platforms.

This agreement will be in effect from 2025 to 2028 and was signed by 22 business groups. It is estimated that it will generate approximately 400,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector. It was also announced that a campaign to promote the consumption of domestic products will begin on June 9.

USMCA Consultations

Ebrard explained the following points regarding the trade agreement:

  • Mexico and the United States will begin consultations in October 2025 on the effects of the USMCA.
  • Starting in the second half of the year, a trilateral dialogue is expected to begin (with the United States and Canada) on priority issues that will be strengthened in the agreement.

Presence of Foreign Agents Denied

The President refuted a newspaper report on the supposed participation of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in operations against drug trafficking cartels inside Mexico. She clarified that the photograph published on the front page of La Jornada does not correspond to any operation in Mexico. Sheinbaum also indicated that even though some U.S. agencies present reports on drug trafficking to the Federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR), the operational actions are carried out exclusively by the FGR.

It was also noted that during Felipe Calderón’s administration, there was a presence of U.S. agents in Mexican facilities, with them even participating in operations within the country. This changed radically when President López Obrador took office.

Migratory Situation and U.S. Fiscal Policy

Sheinbaum reported that in December 2023 there were more than 13,000 daily attempted border crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border. Currently, this number is down to approximately 400 per day. She emphasized that there has been no recent increase in migratory flows.

The President expressed her disagreement with the proposal in the U.S. House of Representatives to impose a 5% tax on remittances. She indicated that the Ministry of Foreign Relations and the Mexican Ambassador to the United States are already engaged in a dialogue with U.S. legislators. If necessary, the Mexican government will move to protect Mexican families inside and outside the country, arguing that a double tax on remittances should not be applied.

Sheinbaum Reaffirms Commitment to Victims’ Families

The President reported that there is no evidence of an explosion in the Pasta de Conchos mine, as had been said at the time. She confirmed the increase in the amount of the pension for the families of the deceased miners, thus fulfilling a commitment made by President López Obrador since 2006. Sheinbaum announced that she will meet with the bereaved family members tomorrow, May 16, to follow up on the recovery efforts in Pasta de Conchos and El Pinabete, which continue with the goal of locating the miners whose bodies have been trapped for almost two decades.

Ovidio Guzmán Case

President Sheinbaum stressed that the U.S. Department of Justice must provide information to the Federal Attorney General’s Office regarding a possible agreement with drug kingpin Ovidio Guzmán. She questioned the logic of establishing agreements with an organization that has been declared to be terrorist by the U.S. government itself.