Claudia Sheinbaum's Presidency: Summary and Analysis of Day 21

Today’s mañanera focused on Mexico’s food sovereignty and self-sufficiency.

A significant portion of today’s mañanera focused on Mexico’s food sovereignty and self-sufficiency. President Sheinbaum indicated that strengthening Mexico’s seed production capacity, agricultural production, and fertilizer industry are all necessary to bolster the country’s food sovereignty and self-sufficiency. She announced preliminary plans to develop a project intended to support agricultural day laborers, but details have not been shared. She also commented on her administration’s plans to promote healthier eating by banning the sale of junk food in schools, plus implementing a nutritional education campaign.

Julio Berdegué Sacristán, the Head of Mexico’s Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER) shared plans to ensure food sovereignty in Mexico. The plan centers on four key elements: production, water, sustainability, and the government’s wellbeing programs (which include Sembrando Vida (Sowing Life) Production for Wellness, Wellness Fertilizers, price guarantees, and Bienpesca). Additional plans mentioned in the press conference include:

• Lowering the price of tortillas by 10%

• Ensuring fair prices for non-transgenic white corn

• Implementing a new program - Harvesting Sovereignty, dedicated to providing support for small and medium-sized agricultural producers in the country

• Technification of the country’s irrigation systems

• Halting the import of 300,000 tons of beans and instead ensuring Mexico’s self-sufficiency

• Offering support for sustainable livestock farming in Chiapas, Tabasco, and Campeche

• Constructing and installing a milk pasteurization plant in Campeche

  • Estimated to generate 40,000 liters of milk per day which will greatly benefit the country’s southeastern region

Mexico is now self-sufficient in corn and it’s estimated that in four years, the country will be self-sufficient in beans. Berdegué stated his hope that people working in the country’s agricultural sector will be better off by the time the Sheinbaum administration concludes.

Luisa Albores, the Head of Nutrition for Wellness (Alimentación para el Bienestar) announced changes to Seguridad Alimentaria Mexicana, a government agency focused on ensuring food security in Mexico¹. The new program will deliver corn and beans to Mexican families at a price of $6 and $35 Mexican pesos per kilo, respectively ($.30 and $1.75 USD). The program is estimated to benefit over 60 million people. The dispensaries will now be referred to as Tiendas Bienestar or Wellbeing Stores.

The Head of the Federal Consumer Protection Agency (PROFECO) offered an update on the basic food basket, saying that the prices have remained stable. President Sheinbaum highlighted in today’s mañanera that this price monitoring took place in 1,800 establishments across the country.

President Sheinbaum denied conflict between the Morena Senators and Deputies, though she did convey that she would not be meeting with legislators of her party. She commented on the depreciation of the peso, stating that there are multiple causes, primarily international (including the US election), but that it has nothing to do with the Mexican economy. The president affirmed that regardless of the outcome of the US presidential election, there will be a positive US-Mexico relationship and that the continuity of the USMCA is not at risk.

The Chiapas Attorney General’s Office announced that Marcelo Pérez’s alleged killer has been detained. Sheinbaum confirmed that the federal Attorney General’s Office (FGR) will take over the case. She denied rumors of a civil war in Chiapas.

On the topic of security, Sheinbaum shared the results of an INEGI study revealing that the public perception of insecurity in the country is at the lowest it has been since 2013 and promised that it would continue decreasing throughout her term. Last night, a clash between federal forces and armed groups in Culiacán, Sinaloa resulted in the deaths of 19 armed civilians and the capture of a key leader of the Sinaloa Cartel, “El Oso.” For the second time in a few weeks, leaflets have been distributed (some believe they’re dropped via planes) in Culiacán in retaliation against Los Chapitos and their alleged collaboration with the governor of Sinaloa. The communication, signed by La Mayiza (also known as Los Mayos, founded by El Mayo. Formerly collaborated with Los Chapos to form the Sinaloa Cartel), states their desire to restore order to the state and end the abuses committed by Los Chapos and the government that supports them. Also included in the note is a phone number to report abuse and corruption.

A video of Mexican Supreme Court Justice, Alfredo Gutiérrez Ortiz Mena, at a Harvard conference on the role of the judiciary in Mexico’s democracy, is making rounds on the internet after he elicited laughs when describing the new requirements to participate in the judicial branch elections. He stated “I kid you not, [the requirements to be elected are] having 3.0 GPA and five letters of recommendation from your neighbors. If you meet those requirements, you can be proposed to the Supreme Court, provided you win the election.” President Sheinbaum addressed the comments in the mañanera, stating that her role is to defend Mexico and that nobody should make fun of Mexicans or the judicial election process, but instead, investigations should be conducted to understand corruption in Mexico’s justice system, specifically tax evasion, and nepotism. Ortiz Mena also mentioned that the secondary laws are still to be enacted and that he would not give his opinion on them nor their likelihood of passing constitutional muster. He stated that Mexico’s judicial branch is undergoing a very dramatic change and on the precipice of initiating an era where the courts will not be predictable because all district and circuit court judges are to be elected.

President Sheinbaum and Mexican business magnate, Carlos Slim, met today. After the meeting, Slim mentioned to the press the potential of the Mexican economy, particularly when in collaboration with the US. Slim and Sheinbaum discussed investments in various public and private sector initiatives.

1. Of note, SEGALMEX has faced significant allegations of corruption. You can read more here.