Claudia Sheinbaum’s First Morning Conference

56th Anniversary of the Tlatelolco Massacre. The morning conference began with Rosa Icela Rodríguez, Minister of the Interior, delivering a public apology on behalf of the Mexican State for the victims of the 1968 Tlatelolco massacre. “The Mexican State offers a heartfelt public apology to all who lost loved ones and to those affected by the crimes against humanity committed on Oct. 2, 1968. Such events must never happen again.” 

The Tlatelolco massacre at the Plaza de las Tres Culturas resulted in over 300 deaths, primarily students, with exact figures still unclear. The Mexican Army and the paramilitary group Batallón Olimpia were responsible for these deaths. While former president Gustavo Díaz Ordaz refuted the allegations against him, experts indicate that he aimed to project strength as Mexico garnered international attention during the Olympic Games.

Tensions With Spain. Claudia Sheinbaum acknowledged ongoing differences with Spanish authorities regarding their refusal to issue a formal apology for the Conquest. "A public apology for past atrocities elevates both nations and governments," she noted. 

In 2019, President López Obrador read aloud the letter he sent to King Felipe VI of Spain, in which he requested an apology from Spain for the violence associated with the Conquest. He noted that no response was received. While relations between the two countries continued, there was a pause in political matters. It was recently announced that King Felipe VI was not invited to the inauguration of President Claudia Sheinbaum, and that the Spanish government decided not to participate in the ceremony at any level.

Youth Scholarships and Pensions. The president confirmed the launch of the universal scholarship program for basic education students and the enrollment for the support program for women aged 60 to 64.

Unlike López Obrador’s scholarship for higher education, Claudia Sheinbaum's 2024 Universal Scholarship is aimed at providing financial assistance to preschool, primary, and secondary students in public schools. Meanwhile, the new Well-Being Pension for Women will provide economic support of MX$3,000 every two months.

Guerrero. President Claudia Sheinbaum is set to visit Acapulco to assess the impact of Hurricane John and define her government’s initial response. "We need to initiate a new census of those affected and begin providing the necessary support, while also advancing the economic recovery program for Acapulco," she added.

Last week, the hurricane made landfall on the coasts of Oaxaca and Guerrero at 9:20 pm as a Category 3 hurricane and was subsequently downgraded to a tropical storm at 3:15 am. The landfall resulted in at least 29 deaths and significant damage along the coast.

G20. Claudia Sheinbaum stated that she has not yet decided whether she will attend the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which begins on Nov. 18. She mentioned that the German Prime Minister wishes to visit Mexico with business leaders and that commemorative events for the anniversary of the Mexican Revolution will take place on Nov. 20. "I have an invitation to the G20 in November from President Lula ... We are evaluating whether we will attend or not," she said.

During his administration, López Obrador never attended a G20 summit. The G20 comprises Germany, Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, South Korea, the United States, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Russia, South Africa, Turkey, along with the European Union and the African Union. Sheinbaum's position aligns with López Obrador’s, as he made only seven international trips during his term, emphasizing that "the best foreign policy is domestic policy.”