Gas Extraction Policy / Michoacan Avocado Security Incident

Pope Leo XIV Will Not Visit Mexico. President Claudia Sheinbaum reported that, following a meeting with Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, Pope Leo XIV will not include Mexico on his upcoming Latin American tour due to prior commitments in Peru, Argentina, and Uruguay, as well as protocol constraints related to Mexico's 2027 electoral cycle. Sheinbaum emphasized that her administration will maintain an open invitation to schedule a future visit outside the election window, citing shared interests in bilateral dialogue.

Security Reinforcement for Michoacan Avocado Exports. President Claudia Sheinbaum announced a plan to deploy additional security forces to Michoacan, focusing on areas lacking National Guard presence, following a recent security alert and temporary suspension of US Department of Agriculture (USDA) avocado inspections triggered by extortion-related security threats against inspection personnel in the state. To address the disruption and ensure safety, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER), and the Ministry of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) are coordinating with the US Embassy and the USDA to reinforce operational security, safeguard agricultural inspectors, and restore international trade operations promptly without long-term economic damage to producers.

Unconventional Gas Extraction Findings. Minister of Science, Humanities, Technology, and Innovation Rosaura Ruiz presented preliminary findings from the Scientific Committee on Energy Sovereignty and Unconventional Natural Gas Deposits. The committee, comprising sub-commissions on engineering, water, impact, and planning, recommended not to move forward with hydraulic fracturing in the Tampico-Misantla basin due to environmental and social risk factors, while advising continued viability studies for the Sabinas-Burro-Picachos basin in Coahuila and Nuevo Leon, as well as the Burgos basin in Tamaulipas.

President Sheinbaum detailed recommendations from the expert panel designed to reduce Mexico's natural gas reliance on the US, emphasizing that even after implementing these measures, Mexico would still depend on US gas for half of its total consumption and must address the remaining percentage responsibly. Panel member Alma America Porres Luna outlined core measures including expanding renewable power generation, enhancing energy efficiency, increasing domestic fuel production in conventional fields, and curbing gas flaring to achieve energy transition objectives.