Claudia Sheinbaum's Presidency: Summary and Analysis of Day 22

330,000 new places for students in Mexico's public universities, Pemex's plans, update on Mario Aburto's case...this is day 22 of Sheinbaum's presidency.

President Sheinbaum announced the creation of 330,000 new places for students in Mexico’s public universities, framing this project as one of the primary commitments of her administration. She stated that the prior neoliberal governments of Mexico did not consider education a right, but rather a privilege (specifically by enforcing an exam to determine admissions results), and she instead emphasized that the state has an obligation to provide education - from early education all the way through to higher education. Sheinbaum stated that the state’s resources will go to teaching and research, not bureaucracy, and that the government will invest over $250 million USD for the creation of new university campuses.

Mario Delgado, Head of the Secretariat of Public Education, detailed the allocation of seats, most of which will come from the creation of new campuses from existing schools. For example, Universidad Rosario Castellanos will create 30 new satellite campuses which will generate an additional 150,000 seats. Various rectors from universities across the country joined the mañanera to further elaborate on plans to add additional seats. Delgado emphasized that the objective is to ensure that more young people have access to free higher education.

The Superior Chamber of the Electoral Court has granted permission to Mexico’s National Electoral Institute (INE) to continue with the organization of elections for the judicial branch. Failure to do so would put the process at risk and would contradict the Constitution.

According to Reuters, Pemex plans to increase its hydrocarbon reserves and ensure their restitution during the new administration. The company has plans to further expand deepwater explorations as well as implement new business models to attract investment.

Approximately 2,000 migrants have just departed Mexico’s southern border with the goal of reaching the United States. Since Sheinbaum took office three weeks ago, two additional groups have attempted to cross the country to reach the US. According to reports, this is the largest group of migrants thus far.

Mario Aburto will remain in prison following today’s ruling by the Supreme Court. Aburto had confessed to killing former Mexican presidential candidate Luis Donaldo Colosio in 1994 at a campaign rally but has since maintained that he was tortured into confessing the crime. Authorities had previously ordered a change in sentencing to 30 years, (rather than the original 45-year sentence), because Aburto was tried originally under the Federal Penal Code and not under Baja California law. Aburto has already served 30 years of his original sentence which would imply his immediate release - if he were to be tried under Baja California law. However, the Supreme Court, via majority vote, struck down this new sentence, arguing that it did not take into consideration the rights of the victim’s family and that it would generate “revictimization.” The son of Colosio, Movimiento Ciudadano politician, Luis Donaldo Colosio Riojas has previously asked the government to pardon Aburto and asked for him to go exile abroad to put an end to the controversy. Both AMLO and Sheinbaum have waded into the controversy, alluding to a theory by the Attorney General’s Office of a second shooter with ties to the PRI government of the time (which, of note, implicated Genaro García Luna). Today’s hearing determined that Aburto will remain in prison in Guanajuato for an indefinite period.