New President of the Supreme Court/Aviation Safety Rating

New president of the Supreme Court. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said that after the departure of Arturo Zaldívar as president of the Supreme Court(SCJN), the new president must be an honest person who will defend the interest of the Mexican people. "We want someone that will apply the rule of law. There must be no more corruption or influence within the Judiciary."

In a few weeks Zaldívar will conclude his term as president of the SCJN, nevertheless, he expects to remain in the SCJN under a new role. . In his last conference, Zaldívar emphasized that he is handing over a renewed, independent, and autonomous Judicial Branch, very different from the one he received when he began his role. As of today, seven members have expressed their intention to become SCJN´s new president in January 2023: Norma Piña, Juan González Carrancá, Javier Potisek, YasmínEsquivel, Alfredo Gutiérrez, Margarita Ríos and Alberto Pérez.

Aviation Safety Rating’s Recovery.  President López Obrador said that significant progress has been made to recover Mexico´s aerospace’ safety rating Category 1. “We have been trying for a long time, and now we are close to obtaining it. The industry has a lot of potential; however, it cannot be unlocked without improving its safety.”

In May 2021, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)downgraded Mexico’s safety rating to Category 2. Initially, the Mexican aerospace industry expected the FAA to restore Mexico’s Airport Category 1 status in a short time span. However, the country did not recover its rating, thus limiting the growth of the country’s aviation industry. Recently, the Association of Aeronautical Engineers (AIA) announced it willsupport Mexico’s Federal Agency of Civil Aviation (AFAC) to recover the country’s Category 1 rating. AIA claims to have a bill for civil aviation, which would complement AFAC’s lobbying efforts with the FAA.

Bird flu. President López Obrador emphasized that although there is an increase in the number of avian flu infections in Mexico, it does not represent a risk for the population. However, the president assured health authorities will be studying cases to avoid major impacts on the health of the population or the country's food supply. "It is a worldwide contagion that appears periodically. However, it does not jeopardize people's lives. There is no need to be alarmed, it is not like COVID-19."

Avian flu is a highly contagious virus that affects birds. However, most birds that become infected do not die. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu poses little risk to humans. The only known human case during this outbreak is a man in Colorado who came in contact with infected birds. Doctors reported that his symptoms were mild, with no serious risks. Experts say the greatest risk lies with poultry farmers, whose animals are the most exposed and often lack the resources to diagnose and decontaminate their livestock.