People’s Mañanera July 8

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.

A Strong Economy: Shared Prosperity for the People
President Claudia Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexico is experiencing a historic moment with greater investment, more jobs, and living wages. She affirmed that shared prosperity means distributing wealth: the minimum wage rose from 2,800 pesos (US$160) to over 9,400 pesos (US$537) per month, 13.5 million people were lifted out of poverty under the 4T, and today the people are living better thanks to the second phase of the Transformation.

Formal Employment and Rising Wages
The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) reached a record registration of 22.8 million formal jobs, with 454,000 new positions created in the last year. The base wage reached a record high of 669 pesos (US$39.94) per day, with the increase outpacing inflation. In addition, 237,000 digital platform workers now have social security coverage. In addition, the OECD confirmed that Mexico has the second-lowest unemployment rate and the highest wage growth since 2018.

Stable Gas Prices, No Sudden Hikes
Sheinbaum noted that Magna gasoline remains at 24 pesos (US$1.37) per liter, thanks to economic stimulus measures and an agreement with gas station owners. The President stated that without these measures, the price would have reached as high as 32 pesos (US$1.83). “I promised there would be no sudden gas price hikes, and we are keeping that promise,” she said, recalling that it was under neoliberal administrations that monthly price increases caused inflation to skyrocket. Sheinbaum also called the PRI hypocritical for proposing to eliminate the IEPS excise tax, noting that it was that party that had driven those sudden gas price hikes in the first place.

USMCA and Investment Confidence
The President affirmed that the USMCA remains in effect and that Mexico continues to be the United States’ main trading partner. She also noted that the agreement with the European Union will open new markets and attract more investment. Sheinbaum reiterated that there is no uncertainty regarding investment in Mexico and reported that the debt has fallen 50% and tax revenue collection continues to perform well.

Housing for the People
In San Luis Potosí, Infonavit delivered homes and reaffirmed its commitment to build 38,000 homes in the state to guarantee the people’s right to decent housing. Beneficiary Adelaida noted that the process was fast, transparent, and accessible, and that her new two-bedroom home will provide better living conditions for her family.

Ken Salazar and the “narco-government” campaign
Sheinbaum recalled that former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar admitted he never had evidence linking President López Obrador to organized crime and reiterated that someone lied to Mexico about the capture of Sinaloa Cartel kingpin “El Mayo” Zambada. Furthermore, she said that the arrests of leaders of organized crime disprove that narrative. The President charged that a campaign—funded with large sums of money—against the 4T continues.

Sheinbaum Condemns Attacks Against Mexico
The President described as outrageous the statements made by “pseudo-journalist” Eduardo Feinmann, who insulted the Mexican people and spread the false claim that the Ecuadoran soccer team had been threatened before facing off against Mexico—information denied by the team itself. She criticized Salinas Pliego and the right wing for amplifying these messages and declared that “those who don’t love Mexico will never fare well, because the people of Mexico are noble, and we have a history of dignity.”

Lie Detector

  • It is not true that the players on Ecuador’s national soccer team received direct threats from organized crime prior to their match against Mexico.
  • It is not true that the PACIC anti-inflation package authorized the importation of live cattle without health inspections and that the screwworm is transmitted to humans through the consumption of infected meat.
  • It is not true that a Bengal tiger escaped from a sanctuary or facility directly operated by the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry (Semarnat).
  • It is not true that garbage collection was suspended at hospitals in the IMSS-Bienestar network in Mexico City.