North American Summit/Enough Vaccines

North American leaders meet. President Andrés Manuel López Obrador today will travel to Washington for a meeting with the U.S. President Joe Biden and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau. López Obrador emphasized that the main topics to be discussed at the summit meeting are economic integration, migration and health. He added during the meeting, if necessary, he will defend his Electricity Reform. “Do you think it will be difficult for me to say this to President Biden or Prime Minister Trudeau? In favor of or protecting the corrupt? They are people of integrity who defend the interests of their peoples, as we do in Mexico.”

Cancun’s revival. López Obrador discussed the country’s rebounding tourism industry and stressed that hotel occupancy in Cancun is up to 73 percent, suggesting a recovery for the sector, a key for the economy. “In the economic recovery, we are on a very good path in tourism. Hotel occupancy at 73 percent; we had a summer with more than 3 million tourists; we expect between 90 and 100 percent occupancy in winter. We have recovered first place in the generation of jobs in the country. We have recovered 65,972 formal jobs.”  Quintana Roo Gov. Carlos Joaquín added that the state has had multiple days without a death from COVID-19, and in general, the incidence of the pandemic has decreased considerably.

COVID-19 vaccines. López Obrador said that thanks to the fight against corruption in Mexico, all the necessary vaccine purchases for the country will be completed. MX$45 billion (US$2.1 billion) has been allocated so far to obtain vaccines. “Why that money was made available was not only because of necessity and urgency but because we have a budget, because there is no corruption. Next year, the health budget will be increased by 15 percent. What are we going to do? Ensure that the health centers and hospitals function well and that medical care and medicines are free. That is the challenge we have,” López Obrador said. He also announced that adolescents between the ages of 15 and 18 will be vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine and that there are enough doses for everyone.

Selecting candidates. López Obrador said that the best way for political parties to choose their candidates is through polls to ensure the consensus of the population regarding their representatives is respected. “In Morena, in the statutes, surveys are considered as a possibility to choose candidates, and my opinion is that this is a good method because it is like a consultation; people are asked and the people are wise.”

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Click HERE for full transcript in Spanish