The Economist Cover/Return to Sender

COVID-19 vaccination. Dr. Ruy López, general director of the National Center for Preventive Programs and Disease Control, said that it would start vaccinating people in the 40 to 49 age group. “The goal we have is 11.4 million people, 70 percent of the population of this decade, out of the total 16.3 million. The idea is to start the first week of June concurrently.” Later, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that the vaccination of teachers would conclude this week allowing the return of students to classrooms. The return will be no later than June 7, it will be voluntary and there must be consensus with the community. 

Back-to-school measures. Delfina Gómez, minister of public education, announced the health measures that will be implemented to allow a return to classes on June 7. The measures are activation of Participatory School Health Committees, access to soap and water in schools, care for teachers, especially those who have vulnerable groups, use of face masks, strengthening healthy distance measures, maximizing the use of open spaces, suspending ceremonies that generate congregations, establishing early detection in which only one COVID patient in a school will result in closure of the school for 15 days and finally, providing social-emotional support for teachers and students.

Mayan Train construction. The general director of the National Fund for the Promotion of Tourism (Fonatur), Rogelio Jiménez Pons, discussed the advances made in the construction of the Mayan Train and he also mentioned that the rolling stock for the train will be built in Ciudad Sahagñun Hidalgo, and that it will start operating in December 2023. The companies in charge of the project are Alstom, Bombardier, Grupo Indi and Cupisa and the cost of the work will be US$1.8 billion. He added that the project is expected to generate many jobs.

Extradition of Florian Tudor. Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard did not confirm whether Florian Tudor’s extradition would take place during the day, “but it would be quick.” Tudor, the alleged leader of the Romanian mafia who was arrested yesterday by elements of the Attorney General’s Office, will be extradited, but it was not confirmed whether the extradition would take place today. 

Kamala Harris in Mexico. Ebrard announced that Vice President of the United States Kamala Harris will arrive in Mexico on Monday, June 7. Harris will meet with the Mexican government authorities the next day. The deputy director of the CIA, David Cohen, is overseeing the logistics and security preparations for the visit to Mexico City.

AMLO’s vote. Speaking of the elections on June 6, López Obrador said that he would cast his vote from Mexico City. “Yes, I am going to vote because we all have to go. It is not mandatory, it is something that distinguishes us as good citizens.” He asked all citizens to go vote.

The Economist. López Obrador addressed the publication of an article critical of his government in the British magazine The Economist, which also featured a depiction of López Obrador on the cover. “These foreign magazines or newspapers were dedicated to applauding neoliberal policies, they are in favor of privatizations and they always kept silent before the corruption that prevailed, they were only dedicated to praising the corrupt politicians of Mexico because they are always conservative. Now, they are upset because people are supporting a transformation, so they take this silly cover, very rude, of course, a lie, calling me the fake Messiah.” 

Diplomatic note to the US. López Obrador mentioned that the US has not responded to the diplomatic note sent by the Mexican Foreign Ministry for the alleged delivery of resources to groups opposed to his government and that this is regrettable. “I hope that the United States government will say something about this matter publicly, that they should have acted immediately. But we are not going to sanction anyone, nor is (article) 33 going to apply.” Article 33 refers to the fact that the “Executive of the Union will have the exclusive power to make them leave the national territory, immediately and without the need for a prior trial, to any foreigner whose permanence you deem inconvenient.”

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Click HERE for full transcript in Spanish