AMLO Returns/Economy Not Hindered by Omicron

López Obrador returns. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador returned to the morning briefing after recovering from COVID-19, saying his contagion was not as terrible as expected. “We have to take care of ourselves, avoid contagion, because yes, it is a very contagious variant, very contagious. Infections are growing a lot in the country but hospitalizations are not, and the most important thing is that there is no increase in deaths,” López Obrador said. He added that all Mexicans should get vaccinated because it could make all the difference during the disease.

Mexico’s economy. López Obrador said that the new COVID-19 variant, omicron, would not derail the country’s economy. “I don’t see the same situation as with the delta variant, when there were many layoffs. That’s not going to happen and it is not happening. What we suffered in December was not due to COVID-19. It was what some companies always do: fire workers so that they are not paid bonuses or other benefits. It is totally different from COVID-19,” he said.

Plan for INE. López Obrador said the austerity plan that was given to the National Electoral Institute (INE) should not cause any problems in its operations since it is based on actions implemented by its administration. “If the National Electoral Institute advisers make an effort and are austere, they can have sufficient financial resources to carry out the Revocation of Mandate consultation. Nothing is being proposed to them that has not been done before.”

Sale of Banamex. López Obrador made it clear that his government would not hinder the sale of Banamex by Citigroup and that, in fact, the profits would circulate in the country, meaning that banking in Mexico would become Mexican. “We are not against foreigners but advantages are obtained if the bank is in the hands of Mexicans because the profits of foreign banks leave Mexico, they take the profits, they do not reinvest in Mexico, and being Mexican entrepreneurs, well, there is a little more guarantee that these profits are reinvested.”  

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Click HERE for full transcript in Spanish