Letter to Joe Biden / Plan C

Letter to Joe Biden. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that he has already written a draft of a letter to US President Joe Biden in response to revelations about US funding to the NGO Mexicans Against Corruption and Impunity. He added that the letter has not been sent yet due to his heavy workload.

The Financial Intelligence Unit (UIF) disclosed that from 2018 to 2024, the US government donated approximately US$5.42 million to the organization. “They are interfering in national affairs, but I do not think Biden is aware of it. We will address the issue.” He added that a reform could be considered to require NGOs to disclose the donations they receive.

Plan C. The president urged deputies and senators not to vote against Plan C due to ideological differences, emphasizing that these reforms are necessary.

President López Obrador’s Plan C seeks to add several of the current government programs to the Constitution and to enact reforms in the Judiciary, INE, and other autonomous bodies.   Previously, López Obrador and Claudia Sheinbaum reached an agreement to initiate Plan C in September, coinciding with the change of deputies and senators in Congress. It is anticipated that MORENA and its allies will collectively hold between 346 and 380 of the 500 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, which would give them a qualified majority to easily pass reforms. In the Senate, MORENA and its allies are anticipated to secure between 76 and 88 of the 128 seats, leaving uncertainty regarding whether they will reach a qualified majority. Nonetheless, experts emphasize that even if they fall short, they will likely seek alliances with the opposition to advance their agenda. 

Detention of El Mayo and Guzmán López. President López Obrador reported that US authorities have not provided information on the detention of "El Mayo" Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López. He also announced that the investigation is no longer under the jurisdiction of the Sinaloa Prosecutor's Office but has been transferred to the Attorney General's Office (FGR).

Zambada, regarded as the world's most powerful drug lord, had evaded capture for decades, making his detention a significant event in both Mexico and the United States. He faces multiple charges related to organized crime and drug trafficking. Recently, US prosecutors accused him of conspiring to manufacture and distribute fentanyl, the leading cause of death among citizens aged 18 to 45.