566 Mexicans Dead in the US / Horacio Duarte to Customs

566 Mexicans dead from COVID-19 in the US. Foreign Affairs Minister (SRE) Marcelo Ebrard said 566 Mexicans have died from COVID-19 in the US, with New York recording the vast majority of cases with 448 deaths. “In New York, the consulate has been reinforced to provide care. It has been the most difficult place for our compatriots,” he said. Ebrard said that since the start of the pandemic 10,547 Mexicans have been repatriated from five continents, through 80 embassies and 67 consulates. Of those, 5,178 came from Latin America and 3,775 from Europe. The minister praised the Mexican Air Force for its role in the repatriation process.

Horacio Duarte to customs. After Ricardo Ahued’s resignation as the head of the General Customs Administration (AGA), President López Obrador will submit to the Senate Horacio Duarte as his replacement. “A good, upstanding person, a man who has all our confidence. The whole government will support Horacio Duarte in the effort to clean up customs,” he said. A close aide to the president, Duarte is the third person in the last 16 months to take the office with the priority to fight corruption. Last Friday, the president said that customs is a “monster with 100 heads” and a pending issue for his administration.

First complaints against companies. President López Obrador said his government has already filed the first complaints against companies that owe taxes to the Treasury (SAT). “This is not personal,” he said and lamented that some corporations behave differently in their own countries. The president said a large foreign company owes about MX$10 billion to SAT, of which MX$1.5 billion can be classified as tax fraud.

Sandoval has COVID-19. Deputy Minister of Health Hugo López-Gatell noted that the Minister of the Public Function (SFP) Irma Eréndira Sandoval is in perfect condition after she tested positive for COVID-19 last week. “She has a mild case, the normal protocol was applied,” he said. Regarding Sandoval’s coworkers López-Gatell said testing isn’t yet complete but that “the initial contacts have all turned out negative.”

337 medical researchers will be summoned. Insabi´s Medical Coordinator Alejandro Svarch announced that 337 Mexican doctors will be invited to join the fight against COVID-19. “These are doctors who are doing highly specialized or subspecialty studies. They are health professionals with a high professional, academic value,” he said.

The ‘patient’ is well. While presenting the COVID-19 pandemic health report for Mexico, Minister of Health Jorge Alcocer said the ‘patient’ is in good condition, referring to Mexico. “I inform you that the patient, Mexico, is in good condition. His pulse is very good, there are no arrhythmias,” he said.

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Click HERE for full transcript in Spanish