Government Sends Help to Guerrero / Asia-Pacific Meeting

Hurricane Otis. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador reported that there are 46 casualties and 56 missing persons in Guerrero following Hurricane Otis. Authorities are also making agreements with department stores to deliver food to victims every week for three months. "Today, they finished preparing 10,000 food packages in Soriana. We are going to deliver a package of 24 products to each household in Acapulco. Tomorrow we start distributing,” says López Obrador.

Hurricane Otis hit Mexico last week as a Category 5 hurricane, only 12 hours after being labeled a tropical storm. On Oct. 25, the National Water Commission (CONAGUA) reported extraordinary rains in Guerrero, heavy rains in Michoacan and the State of Mexico, and strong rains in Morelos, Puebla, and Oaxaca. Guerrero was hit by winds between 130km/h and 150km/h, and waves up to 5m. 

Rebuilding Acapulco. López Obrador stated that, although all of Acapulco was devastated by the hurricane, the city will be rebuilt soon.  "We are going to rebuild Acapulco as soon as possible. The people of Guerrero are going to be supported until we finish with the reconstruction."

Hurricane Otis destroyed about 273,844 homes, 600 hotels/condos, and 120 hospitals/clinics. López Obrador expects to rebuild Acapulco in less than two years. However, Francisco Solares, President, Mexican Chamber of the Construction Industry (CMIC), said that the reconstruction of Acapulco will require at least five years. The government recently announced that MX$61.31 billion (US$3.42 billion) will be invested in the reconstruction of Guerrero.

Asia-Pacific Meeting. López Obrador announced he will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum despite recent tensions with Peru. The event will be held in San Diego, United States, on Nov. 15-16.

Diplomatic tensions between Peru and Mexico have risen due to criticism from López Obrador, who had stated his support of former Peruvian President Pedro Castillo. On several occasions, López Obrador accused the new government of ousting Castillo for his leftist alignment. The Peruvian government has flagged these comments as political interference by the Mexican authorities. In addition, the new administration decided to definitively dismiss Mexico’s Ambassador in Peru, Pablo Monroy, calling him persona non grata, while also removing the Peruvian Ambassador from Mexico.