Claudia Sheinbaum's Presidency: Summary and Analysis of Day 27
Mexico pushes back against US plans to ban Chinese vehicles, Sheinbaum comments on Querétaro abortion case, violence in Sinaloa reaches Mazatlán...this is day 27 of Sheinbaum's presidency.
President Sheinbaum returned to Mexico City after her weekend spent visiting western Mexico, specifically Baja California Sur, Baja California, and Guerrero. During today’s mañanera, the Sheinbaum administration offered an update on their program to provide home healthcare for the elderly and people with disabilities, stating that nearly one million people from the target populations have been surveyed so far.
In today’s mañanera, President Sheinbaum addressed the case of a teenager accused of murdering her newborn in Querétaro. The 14-year-old, pregnant as the result of rape, suffered a spontaneous abortion, however, state authorities have accused the girl of homicide, stating that the baby was born and later died from strangulation. Sheinbaum stated her opposition to the ruling and announced that she would meet with the state’s governor. She stated during the mañanera that “…there should be no criminalization [in the case of abortion], and even less so for a 14-year-old girl.” The feminist organization defending the 14-year-old has stated that the prosecution has consistently committed that the pregnancy was the result of rape. Of note, Mexico’s Supreme Court decriminalized abortion in 2021, determining that prosecuting and imprisoning women who have abortions goes against the Mexican Constitution. As of today, 15 states have complied with the ruling and decriminalized abortion. Querétaro is one of 17 states that has not done so.
Following the Biden administration’s proposed plans to prohibit Chinese vehicles, specifically due to national security concerns stemming from the Chinese software and hardware in the vehicles, Mexico’s Ministry of the Economy issued a filing with US Department of Commerce, stating that the plans could “‘…[have a]substantial impact on Mexico's automotive industry. Economically, it poses potential trade barriers, disruptions to supply chains, increased production costs, and a possible risk of reduced direct and indirect employment,’” according to Reuters. The filing also mentioned free trade rules laid out in the USMCA and mentioned the possibility of increased production costs due to changes in the auto supply chain.
Mexico has sent a tanker carrying 400,000 barrels of oil to Cuba, following the energy crisis the country has experienced recently in the wake of Hurricane Oscar and the collapse of the Cuban power grid. Though Venezuela is the primary oil supplier of Cuba, Mexico has provided the country with supplementary crude and fuel since last year. Mexico exported 16,000 bpd of crude and refined products to Cube in 2023 alone.
Violence between the warring factions of the Sinaloa Cartel has reached the coastal city of Mazatlán, one of the most sought-after touristic destinations in the state. Up until this point, the violence in Sinaloa had been mainly relegated to Culiacán, but other municipalities like Navolato, Concordia, and Elota have also been impacted. In Mazatlán, there have been several armed clashes since Saturday and municipal authorities have urged people to remain sheltered in place. President Sheinbaum addressed the escalating violence in Sinaloa, stating that this is a special case, but assuring that all three levels of government are cooperating to restore peace. She again blamed the US for the violence, attributing it to the capture of El Mayo in June.