Return to Classes in June/ Hydrocarbons Law Reform

Vaccination plan will be reinforced.President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that despite the 17-week decline in contagions and deaths from COVID-19, the government will strengthen the vaccination plan. López Obrador explained that yesterday there was a meeting to discuss the expansion and reinforcement of the brigades and the installation of more vaccination centers, which will require the support of the ISSSTE, IMSS, SEDENA, SEMAR and the National Guard. "We are determined to carry out more activities. The brigades will vaccinate more people as soon as possible, that is, to protect them and prevent any future situation."

More vaccines. Deputy Minister of Health Hugo López-Gatell announced that Mexico will receive 5 million COVID-19 vaccines during this week and stressed that in June and July the supply of vaccines will be greater. "As the offer is greater, we have considered what the president specified. We need to expand our vaccination capacity and do it with preparation, not when the challenge is upon us." López-Gatell also asked Mexicans to get vaccinated, saying the pandemic could end faster if everyone is vaccinated.

Mexico to get more COVID-19 vaccines from the US. López Obrador said that Mexico will benefit from US President Joe Biden's initiative to send COVID-19 vaccines to countries where they are most needed. “Yesterday, it was announced that President Biden will deliver more vaccines to countries. Biden spoke of 80 million doses and I am sure that Mexico will receive some of them." Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard said that the US initiative has been well received by many nations and that its logistics plan is expected to be known this week.

Mexico City to return to classes in June. López Obrador announced that the government has begun to vaccinate the educational personnel of all public and private schools in Mexico City. López Obrador explained that after completing the vaccination of the teaching staff, students will return to face-to-face classes in June. “It would be great if, by the second week of June, classes resumed to have at least a month of face-to-face classes before the end of the school year.” Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum said that the return to classes is scheduled 15 days after the vaccination of educational personnel ends to coordinate with schools and ensure a safe return to classes.

SCJN to decide the future of the Hydrocarbons Law reform. López Obrador emphasized that the indefinite suspension of the Hydrocarbons Law will be defined by the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN). This comment came after judges Rodrigo de la Peza López Figueroa and Juan Pablo Gómez Fierro suspended the reform yesterday, which can still be reviewed. López Obrador said that it is a process that will conclude with the court's decision and stressed that "we will monitor compliance with these laws because we defend the popular economy and fight corruption."

The Hydrocarbons Law reform focuses on midstream and downstream oil and gas, including their transportation, storage and transformation into finished products. It seeks to allow CRE and SENER to cancel and deny permits for the import, distribution and sale of fuels to private companies.

SCJN's resolution on the governor of Tamaulipas is unclear. López Obrador said that the resolution of the SCJN on the impeachment of the governor of Tamaulipas, Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca, is not clear. "It is ambiguous and needs to be resolved, but it is in the hands of the SCJN. What we can say is that we do not cover anyone and that we no longer want Mexicans to be detained in the US." Cabeza de Vaca is accused of banking irregularities, illegal money transfers and illicit operations. Last week, the US requested information from the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) to investigate the case.

Click HERE for full transcript in Spanish