People’s Mañanera August 19

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.

Security and Relations with the United States

President Claudia Sheinbaum reported that there is no agreement with the DEA. She explained that a group of police officers from the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection only attended a workshop in Texas. She reiterated that the only agreement practically ready with the U.S. government is that the security forces of each country will operate within their own territory, with coordination with the other nation but without subordination.

Public Health and Consumption of Sugary Drinks

Minister of Health David Kershenobich reported that Mexicans consume on average 166 liters of soft drinks per year. He noted that in Mexico, 1 in 3 new cases of diabetes mellitus and 1 in 7 cases of cardiovascular disease are attributed to sugary drinks.

He warned that drinking two diet sodas daily can increase the risk of heart attack or hemorrhagic stroke by between 23% and 31%.

The Mexican Government will launch preventive educational campaigns from childhood on to reduce consumption of ultra-processed foods and sugary drinks, noting that Mexico and Colombia are the countries that consume them the most.

Progress in Health Strategy

Mexican Social Security (IMSS) director-general Zoé Robledo presented results of the 2-30-100 Strategy:

• 234 hospitals with new openings for surgery positions.
• 124 complete surgical teams.
• 73 renovated operating rooms.
• Expansion of evening shifts for surgery and specialty consultations.

The head of the Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers (ISSSTE), Martí Batres, reported that 2,217 surgeries for cataracts, knee and prostate conditions have been performed, meeting 72.26% of the demand for such procedures.

Infrastructure highlights:

• Construction of a high-specialty hospital in Oaxaca.
• Demolition of the old Dr. Gonzalo Castañeda hospital in Tlatelolco, Mexico City.
• Construction of a new family medicine clinic in Díaz Ordaz, Tamaulipas.

Medicine Supply and Health Routes

The head of IMSS-Bienestar, Alejandro Svarch, presented a report on the progress in the Health Routes strategy, considered the most important in terms of pharmaceutical supply since the institute’s creation.

Deliveries from August 19 to 23:

• 10,497 medicine kits distributed.
• 8,061 medical units benefited.
• 1,006 delivery routes in operation.
• 23 states covered.
• More than 15 million medicines and wound-care materials prepared and packaged in state warehouses.

The model guarantees that all first-level care units of IMSS-Bienestar receive medical supplies in a scheduled and continuous manner, with vehicles and routes that ensure timely supply.

Svarch emphasized that this strategy strengthens the healthcare system and guarantees that medical centers have the essential supplies to make Mexicans’ right to health effective.

The President explained that pharmaceuticals will be delivered monthly and confirmed that oncology medicines were distributed last week.

Judiciary and Electoral Reform

Sheinbaum said that the Supreme Court’s last session on August 19 marks the end of an era with a justice system serving a privileged few, characterized by cronyism and nepotism. She indicated that a new stage will begin on September 1.

She added that the Presidential Commission for Electoral Reform will meet with all parliamentary party caucuses to begin discussion of a comprehensive electoral reform proposal.

Change in Development Model and Poverty Reduction

The President explained that the reduction of poverty in Mexico is a direct result of the change in the development model promoted since December 2018, when the Fourth Transformation began.

She said that wellbeing programs and social policies cannot be seen in isolation, as they are part of an integral strategy that prioritizes support provided from the bottom up and breaks with the model that previously favored the most well-off sectors.

Among the measures the President highlighted were the universal pension for senior citizens, support for people with disabilities, stipends for high school students, incentives for agriculture, as well as investment in public work projects and actions to stimulate economic development.

Sheinbaum demands the U.S. clarify arrest of “El Mayo”

The President said that, despite the Mexican government’s request, Washington has not explained how the arrest of drug kingpin Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada occurred.

She recalled that the Ministry of Foreign Relations remains in contact with the Department of Justice and questioned the U.S. position:

“If they call organized crime groups terrorists and say they do not negotiate with terrorists, how then do they then explain these agreements?”