People’s Mañanera June 19

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

Hurricane Erick hits Oaxaca and Guerrero

Minister of the Navy Raymundo Morales reported that Hurricane Erick made landfall on the coast of Oaxaca, in the village of Corralero, as a Category 3 storm. Currently, the storm is located on the border between Oaxaca and Guerrero and is expected to dissipate in the mountains of Michoacán.

Laura Velázquez, head of the National Civil Protection Coordination, explained that the hurricane continues to move across the country, causing heavy rains in Oaxaca and Guerrero. She also reported on the deployment of personnel to respond to the emergency:
• 21,508 personnel from the Ministry of National Defense, of which 9,632 are in Oaxaca and 11,876 in Guerrero.

• 9,071 personnel from the Ministry of the Navy, with 6,418 in Oaxaca and 2,653 in Guerrero.

So far, no human casualties have been reported.

Hurricane Damage

Guerrero Governor Evelyn Salgado indicated that the Costa Chica region has been hardest hit, with traffic disruptions due to fallen trees, landslides, and heavy rains.

Oaxaca Governor of Oaxaca Salomón Jara said that the main damage was reported in the communities of Río Grande and Pinotepa Nacional. Closed roads, 17 light poles knocked down by strong winds, and power outages in communities such as Colotepec were reported.

The President thanked the population for heeding the authorities’ calls and taking shelter in their homes. She called on people to continue to stay informed through official media and to act with caution.

Strengthening Relations with Canada

President Sheinbaum reported that Canadian business leaders have expressed interest in continuing to work in Mexico and even increasing their investments. She announced that the foreign affairs, economy, and agriculture teams of both countries will meet soon to strengthen bilateral relations.

Sheinbaum explained that the Hecho en México (Made in Mexico) promotional campaign is currently focused on strengthening the domestic market and that its international projection will be considered at a later date. She also pointed out that Mexican companies have invested around US$35 billion in the United States.

Approval Ratings

In response to a public opinion poll published by Reporte Índigo, in which 82.5% of respondents approve of her performance in office, Sheinbaum explained that this result is the fruit of being close to the people, reporting with transparency, not betraying the people, and delivering results.

Preventive Detention is Necessary in the Face of Public Insecurity

President Sheinbaum defended informal preventive detention for certain serious crimes, noting that it is an indispensable tool in the fight against organized crime and for protecting judges. “In any case, informal preventive detention does not mean that the suspect will always be detained; it is always at the discretion of the judge, based on the evidence presented by the Public Prosecutor’s Office,” she explained.

Sheinbaum recalled that this measure has been in the Constitution since 2019 and said that it is important to maintain it in cases such as homicide or serious crimes, so as not to leave situations that could jeopardize public security entirely to the discretion of the judge. She criticized the opposition for opposing the measure without proposing alternatives.

Legislative Reforms and Institutional Strengthening

The President noted that the new Search Law indicates that significant progress has been made through incorporating agreements with groups of family members searching for their missing or disappeared relatives and the Ministry of the Interior. She announced that more than 20 legislative bills will be presented in the next special session of Congress.

Sheinbaum also reported on the new Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law, which will strengthen indigenous community radio stations by allowing them to include part of their programming designed for local commercial purposes.

Supreme Court’s Commitment to the People of Mexico

The President highlighted the statements made by the incoming Supreme Court Chief Justice Hugo Aguilar who guaranteed that there will be justice for all and that the Court must become closer to the people.

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