Inflation to Increase/Army’s Participation in the Ayotzinapa Case

Inflation. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said one of the main priorities of his government is to lessen the effects of inflation. In addition, the president stressed that a new inflation plan will be presented next week. “I am sure that we will be able to curb the increase in prices. Our inflation for August was 8.7 percent, very close to that of the US and Germany.” ”

Inflation increased by 0.41 percent during the first two weeks of September in comparison to the previous fortnight, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Geography’s (INEGI) National Consumer Price Index (INPC). This increase left inflation at 8.76 percent. In 2021, inflation increased by 0.42 percent during the same period, leaving annual inflation at 5.87 percent.

INEGI’s data shows that the first fortnight of 2022 recorded the third highest inflation increase since 2013. The INPC registered its highest increase in 2016, with a 0.54 percent increase, followed by a 0.42 percent increase in 2021 and a 0.41 percent increase in 2022.

Army involved Ayotzinapa. López Obrador backed-up the Armed Forces from accusations in the Ayotzinapa case and stressed that the corruption of some members should not be generalized throughout the Army.  “The Armed Forces have nothing to do with the irresponsible attitude of one, two, three, five or ten members of the Army. Members of the Armed Forces know very well that someone who commits a crime cannot be covered up, because instead of strengthening the institution, it weakens it.”

In 2014, during former president Enrique Peña Nieto’s administration, 43 students disappeared in Iguala, Guerrero and the government reported they were murdered by the United Warriors Cartel in Cocula. According to the past administration, it was the Iguala police and army who handed over the students to the criminal group. Nevertheless, since the reopening of the case with new findings incriminating Enrique Peña Nieto’s government are popping up. For instance, the Truth Commission of the Ayotzinapa case reported that among the students there was an infiltrated soldier. In addition, former Army General Salvador Cienfuegos assured that the army was not involved in the case. However, new findings showed that some elements were in contact with the criminal group during the event.

Feminicide of Debanhi Escobar. Deputy Minister of Security Ricardo Mejía announced that the Attorney General's Office (FGR) will now take charge of the investigations regarding the femicide of Debanhi Escobar. “They report that the FGR exercised the power to attract the investigation folder for femicide that the Nuevo León Prosecutor's Office was carrying out. The government will help with the investigations.”

On April 21, the Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) reported that a body rescued from a water tank in Nuevo León matched the description of Escobar, the 18-year-old girl who disappeared on April 9. The Attorney General's Office autopsy exposed that Escobar's cause of death was due to an intracranial hemorrhage. It is believed that she drowned and did not experience sexual abuse. Nevertheless, the autopsy provided by the family confirmed that she died before falling into the water tank and that there were signs of sexual abuse. Faced with social pressure and criticism, the authorities decided to request the exhumation of the body to perform a third autopsy. According to the new results, Escobar died of asphyxiation between three and five days before her body was found. Likewise, no injuries were found that indicate that there was any sexual violence.