Mayan Train / Pegasus Spy Program

Mayan Train. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that the third section of the Mayan Train, which runs from Cancun to Playa del Carmen, will be inaugurated on Feb. 29.

On Dec. 15, the first stage of the Mayan Train, which runs from Campeche to Cancun, opened to the public after five years of work. The project has been widely criticized, as trips have been delayed by more than 9 hours. The government has acknowledged that there are problems with the operation of the train, but assures that travel will improve over time.

Pegasus Spy Program. López Obrador called on all authorities to hand over all information about his government and his family in order to comply with the Supreme Court's order to disclose the contracts on the Pegasus program.

Pegasus, an Israeli software, discreetly installs itself on a phone through an invitation, extracting information and enabling real-time monitoring of individuals' activities. According to Citizen Lab, since 2019, the software has exclusively targeted journalists, human rights defenders, and politician Raymundo Ramos. Last week, the Supreme Court ordered the Ministry of Finance to make public the contracts of the Pegasus spy program in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017. The Court stated that this disclosure does not endanger national security. 

Judicial Power Reform. The president said that the reform to the judiciary could materialize in 2025, which seeks to have ministers, magistrates, and judges elected by popular vote. "Those who are currently in office will be able to participate in this election under equal conditions."

The reform is part of the new reform package proposed by the president on Feb. 5. The president emphasized that due to time limitations in the Legislative Branch, he will not be able to see his initiative materialize. Therefore, he relies on his so-called "Plan C", which consists of waiting for the next president to continue promoting the reform.