Government to Collaborate with Teletón / Judicial Power on Strike

López Obrador Signs Agreement with Teletón. President López Obrador led the signing of a collaboration agreement between the Mexican government and the Teletón Foundation, which will establish the Center for Inclusion and Well-being for People with Disabilities. The partnership involves the donation of a property valued at MX$90 million (US$4.9 billion) located in Lomas de Chapultepec.

This initiative comes in response to a request made by the YouTuber with a disability, Daniel Robles, who advocated for the creation of a center for young people with disabilities. 

The agreement was signed by President López Obrador, Ariadna Montiel, Minister of Welfare, and Fernando Landeros Verdugo, President of the Teletón Foundation. Montiel provided details about the property located at Paseo de la Reforma 1030 in the Lomas de Chapultepec neighborhood. The three-story property covers 900m2 and includes two gardens, a foyer, four offices, bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, a meeting room, a parking area, and 10 rooms.

"We would call this project a Center for Inclusion and Well-being for People with Disabilities, as Daniel Robles has suggested, emphasizing the need for a space where we can promote various activities related to inclusion and technological development. It is a spacious place that will also need adaptations for the mobility of people with disabilities," says Montiel. She adds that authorities are considering further projects in Jalisco, where Daniel Robles is from, for the establishment of day care centers.

Judicial Power Strike. Following the call for strike by employees of the Judicial Power in response to a MX$15 billion budget cut, President López Obrador emphasized that his government is experiencing intriguing times, as never in history had there been a "rebellion" by the Judicial Power against the Executive Power.

López Obrador called the strike a "shame" and a matter of "vicarious embarrassment." He asserted that he understands the dissatisfaction of SCJN justices, adding that the judges do not wish to relinquish their privileges and fail to accept that the budget is public money. Judicial Branch employees called for a strike to oppose the dissolution of 13 Trusts. 

Moreover, President López Obrador criticized the Judicial Power elite for having access to major medical expense insurance for plastic surgeries and special savings accounts. He also said that these individuals receive between MX$20 million and MX$30 million when retiring, while retaining nearly their entire salaries. 

In addition, López Obrador accused the Judicial Power of releasing about 20 major alleged criminals within three months, encompassing individuals involved in organized crime and white-collar crime. He added that the Judicial Power released the bank accounts of the wife of Genaro García Luna, imprisoned in the United States on drug trafficking charges.

The Judicial Power’s national five-day strike began on Oct. 19.