Homicides Increase 8.4 Percent / A ‘Monster’ in Customs

8.4 percent increase in homicides. Minister of Security (SSPC) Alfonso Durazo said there was an 8.4 percent increase in homicides in March. “We had a slight increase. However, we can say we are practically near the containment line,” Durazo said while detailing a report on security. In this regard, President López Obrador said that preventing coercive measures and defending humanism in the face of criminals is not naive. “Some may think I am naive. I am not. Human beings are not born bad. Circumstances lead many to adopt antisocial behavior.”

A “monster” in customs. After Ricardo Ahued resigned yesterday as head of General Customs Administration (AGA), President López Obrador said that the problem in the federal office is corruption, a challenging “monster with 100 heads” that has yet to be beaten. “The customs problem is corruption. This is a pending issue that we haven’t solved despite the efforts we’ve made,” he said and highlighted Ahued’s integrity after eight months in AGA. The president warned that a “major cleansing” of the customs and ports structure is next.

No decision yet on deputy ministry closings. President López Obrador said the 10 deputy ministries that will close as part of the federal austerity decree have not yet been identified because discussions are ongoing with the heads of the ministries. “I want to listen to the ministers and reach an agreement with them,” he said. The president stated that he will make a final decision based on their observations and explained that “the government has to adjust to the new reality.”

Fuels self-sufficiency goal. President López Obrador said that he has a plan to achieve self-sufficiency in gasoline production so Mexico won’t have to sell a single barrel of crude oil, nor buy refined gasoline ever again. “We already have a plan that consists of refining the largest amount of crude oil in the country and not being at the mercy of international markets for selling oil and buying gasoline,” he said.

18,632 elements deployed for COVID-19. Minister of National Defense Luis Cresencio Sandoval reported that 18,632 elements have been deployed to attend to security tasks during the COVID-19 health emergency. Also, the federal government has ordered the National Guard to intensify patrols as well as the protection of hospitals and warehouses.

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Click HERE for full transcript in Spanish