People’s Mañanera July 9
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.
New Agency for Trains and Integrated Public Transport
Andrés Lajous, director of the Regulatory Agency for Railway Transport, announced the creation of the new Agency for Trains and Integrated Public Transport with the following objectives:
• To strengthen the role of the State as the regulator of the railway sector.
• To reactivate and prioritize railway transportation.
• To protect the public interest and national assets.
The passenger train rescue plan is in Phase 1, with the development of the following lines:
Felipe Angeles International Airport (AIFA)–Pachuca, starting March 2025.
Mexico City–Querétaro, starting April 2025.
Saltillo–Nuevo Laredo, starting August 2025.
Querétaro–Irapuato, starting August 2025.
In addition, with the bidding for the electric train lines, the goal is to serve a demand of 100,000 passengers daily on the Mexico City–Pachuca line.
Visit to the US and International Agreements
President Claudia Sheinbaum reported that a government team will travel to the United States this week with a view to advancing the global agreement previously discussed with Donald Trump during the G7 meeting. This agreement seeks to strengthen joint work on comprehensive issues such as border security, migration, and trade.
Fitch Ratings and Financial Stability
In response to Fitch Ratings’ comments about a possible contagion risk that could undermine confidence in the financial system, the President said there is no such risk. She emphasized that the Ministry of Finance has acted responsibly from the outset of when questions were raised about irregularities in three Mexican financial institutions, specifically to prevent the contagion mentioned by the rating agency.
Solidarity with Women Attacked by Ricardo Salinas
Sheinbaum expressed her solidarity with Sabina Berman, Vanessa Romero, and Denise Dresser after Ricardo Salinas insulted them on social media. She condemned the misogynistic language and asked “what’s behind this? They don’t want me to talk about what he owes to the people of Mexico,” in reference to the business magnate’s unpaid back taxes
Criticism of the Opposition and Historical Memory
The President questioned Vicente Fox celebrating the 25th anniversary of the 2000 elections that marked the beginning of the executive branch alternating between different political parties. She pointed out that it was actually “25 years of betrayal of democracy.” The President noted that Fox did not fulfill even half of his campaign promises, made a pact with Zedillo and the United States to promote a fake democratic change, participated in the 2006 electoral fraud, and supported barring Andrés Manuel López Obrador from being a candidate. He was also accused of failing to deliver on commitments such as building the Mexico–Querétaro highway.
Gentrification, Housing, and the Right to the City: A Necessary Debate
The President addressed the phenomenon of gentrification, explaining that it occurs when original residents of certain neighborhoods are displaced by higher-income populations, often due to changes in zoning regulations promoted by authorities for the benefit of real estate developers. She cited the Roma and Condesa neighborhoods in Mexico City as examples, where the phenomenon intensified during Miguel Ángel Mancera’s local administration.
Sheinbaum said that these processes should be participatory and proposed low-income housing construction as a solution to prevent rent increases. She rejected xenophobic or discriminatory expressions in protests and distinguished gentrification from the speculative practices of the so-called “real estate cartel,” linked to PAN leader Jorge Romero Herrera. She emphasized that the real debate is how to guarantee the right to housing and equitable access to public services.
Lie Detector
In the Lie Detector section, the following fake news were debunked:
It is not true that the United States has a list of Mexican politicians linked to organized crime.
It is not true that Morena and the Mexican Government incited violent protests against gentrification.
It is not true that BYD Company canceled its plan to build a manufacturing plant in Mexico. [Editor’s note: BYD Vice-President Stella Li made comments earlier this month in Brazil]
It is not true that the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) is facing a financial crisis and its days are numbered.
It is not true that the Tax Administration System (SAT) will conduct home visits to seniors to verify tax compliance.
It is not true that the Mexico City Government spied on opposition politicians.
The Fight for Water & Land
Even after one revolution, and the two significant reforms of Cárdenas and of López Obrador, the struggle for water and land continues to divide the interests of peasant communities and the large monopolies who profit from them.
This House is not a Hotel
Gentrification proceeds through every day developments, causing prices ito skyrocket, and what was once a territory of urban resistance becomes a tourist showcase and, ultimately, a territory of expulsion.
Solidarity, Greed & the State
Social predators like Diego Fernández, Salinas Pliego, and Germán Larrea, who arose in the neoliberal period but continue to prosper under the Fourth Transformation, point towards a pressing need: to decommodify large sectors of Mexican society.