The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, announced a series of reforms on Monday far-reaching constitutional changes to pensions, workers’ salaries and the Supreme Courtin a move apparently intended to energize his base and harass the opposition before the June elections.
As López Obrador prepares to leave office in October, the package, which is unlikely to be approved in its entirety, aims to ensure that his successors cannot easily reverse policies such as pension payments and minimum wage increases which have given him wide popularity among the working class. voters. The proposals include modifying the country’s pension system, reforming the electoral system and banning fracking.
“The essence of these reforms and new rights is to reorient public life along the path of freedom, justice and democracy,” he said in a speech in the country’s capital. The 20-point package will be sent to the lower house of Congress later on Monday, López Obrador added..
The move underscores the values of the ruling Morena party as candidates prepare to begin formal campaigns in March.and is aimed at helping its candidate, Claudia Sheinbaum, maintain an advantage in the polls. It puts the opposition in the difficult position of accepting potentially costly social spending or refusing to help groups like the elderly just months before the presidential and congressional elections.
Constitutional changes require the support of a two-thirds majority of Congress to pass (something the ruling party’s simple majority falls short of), meaning the president’s proposals are likely to fail. But even if they do, they will allow the outgoing president to dominate the news cycle at a time when the candidates to succeed him have not yet formally made their own campaign promises.according to Rodolfo Ramos, Bradesco BBI strategist.
“Amlo has been an excellent political strategist and much of the content of these reforms goes hand in hand with the narrative he presented from the beginning.” of his presidency, Ramos said. “He is taking on the role of star, when it should be his candidate who is in the spotlight. “Sheinbaum is trying to play it safe without taking risks, and he is campaigning since she is part of his movement.”
The proposals include financial changes, such as ensuring pensioners receive payments equal to their full original salary and ensure that the minimum wage keeps pace with inflation. They also call for the election of Supreme Court justices, prolonging a fight that Amloas the president is known, has waged war against the country’s highest court, which has blocked some of the key parts of his agenda.
In January, the Supreme Court annulled legislation that the president had supported to give greater power to the state electricity company CFE, a change that went to court after it was challenged by private companies. The reform package also proposes considering the CFE as a strategic public company.
