People’s Mañanera June 25

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.

Progress in Infrastructure

Minister of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation Jesús Esteva presented progress reports on infrastructure projects at the national level:

• San Ignacio–Tayoltita Highway (Sinaloa-Durango): 98% complete, to be finished in July 2025.
• Riso de Oro Bridge (Chiapas): 80% complete, to be finished in October 2025.
• Nichupté Bridge (Quintana Roo): 80% complete, to be finished in December 2025.

Progress is also being made on priority roads, bridges, and networks in 13 states, with key projects in Oaxaca, Guerrero, Veracruz, Michoacán, Baja California, Colima, Sonora, Chihuahua, Quintana Roo, Mexico City, State of Mexico, Puebla, and Morelos.

The following construction projects will be launched in 2025:

• 135 artisanal roads, with an investment of 3.00 billion pesos (US$160 million).
• The Bachetón initiative, which will provide maintenance in 48,319 km. of roads through repairing potholes. It will have an investment of almost 30.48 billion pesos (US$1.60 billion).
• The modernization of 289 km. of highways will be allocated almost 13.73 billion pesos (US$723 million).

In addition, through mixed investment (Banobras), over 2.87 billion pesos (US$151.48 million) will be allocated to strategic projects in Nayarit, Veracruz, Michoacán, and Baja California.

In total, infrastructure investment for 2025 is projected to top 53.31 billion pesos (US$2.81 billion), generating 52,762 direct and indirect jobs. The accumulated investment during the current presidential administration is projected to exceed 372 billion million pesos (US$19.61 billion).

Situation of the “El Tornillo” Tunnel and Impact of Hurricane Erick

Esteva explained that the collapse of the El Tornillo tunnel in Oaxaca was due to extraordinary conditions, including four earthquakes that occurred before the passage of Hurricane Erick, which destabilized rock massifs of up to 100 meters high.

Emergency actions taken due to the damage caused by Hurricane Erick include:

• 173,800 cubic meters of material removed from landslides and collapsed structures.
• 547 workers mobilized.
• 223 machines used.
• 10 bridge inspections carried out.

Reform to the Federal Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law

José Merino, head of the Digital Transformation Agency, presented the main changes proposed to the Federal Telecommunications and Broadcasting Law:

• The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission will become a new decentralized regulatory body with technical, operational, and managerial independence.
• The state will have a commercial concession to provide internet services to end users.
• Transmission of political propaganda from foreign governments will be prohibited on radio and television.
• Discounts will be given on spectrum usage fees in exchange for deploying infrastructure in areas without internet access, including highways.

The reform bill has already been sent to the Senate and is currently under legislative review.

Maya Train Review

President Claudia Sheinbaum reported that she has asked the Anti-Corruption and Good Governance Ministry to conduct a comprehensive review of the public work projects for the completion of the Mayan Train. She pointed out that the newspaper Reforma has not reported whether there is any link between senators and the company that obtained contracts related to this project.

INE Autonomy and Electoral Reform

The President reiterated that the National Electoral Institute (INE) will continue as an autonomous body. However, she questioned the high costs involved for the people of Mexico in organizing elections. Sheinbaum emphasized that it is necessary to ensure clean and democratic elections and to review the question of proportional representation seats in Congress.

Sheinbaum: “There is No Censorship, the Main Actor is the People”

The President responded to PRI leader Alito Moreno: “Where is there censorship in Mexico? There is the right to reply, everyone can express their opinion freely, no one is persecuted.”

Regarding the case in Campeche, she emphasized that Governor Layda Sansores has been the target of misogynistic attacks. “She is not trying to imprison anyone, but rather to recognize that there is a discourse of hate against women. This issue should be addressed: freedom of expression also means respect …. We are a democratic system where the main actor is the people,” the President explained.

Lie Detector

During the Lie Detector segment, the following fake news were debunked:

• It is not true that the labor reform for digital platforms harms app workers.
• It is not true that the reform to the National Guard Law allows investigations without control from the Public Prosecutor’s Office or judicial oversight.
• It is not true that the Mexican Government has prohibited workers from withdrawing money from their pension fund managers (AFORES).
• It is not true that the Mexican Government does not have resources to support Oaxaca and Guerrero following the passage of Hurricane Erick.
• It is not true that the seismic sensor network is disconnected in Oaxaca and Guerrero due to Hurricane Erick.
• It is not true that the Mexican Government seeks to eliminate autonomous public prosecutors.