Trailers Used in Drug Theft/Those Who Champion Trusts Are Corrupt

Trailers involved in theft. President López Obrador said that there were trailers involved in the theft of almost 38,000 doses of cancer drugs last weekend. “There are witnesses who saw trailers,” he said. The president noted that the investigation is being led by the Mexico City government and that results are expected soon. Regarding allegations that the federal government is making up the theft, the president noted that those who spread rumors “are very bad people,” and “vultures.” The theft was reported last week by local authorities claiming that a commando threatened employees and stole drugs destined for the exclusive use of the public health sector from a warehouse of Novag Infancia, a company whose experience has been criticized. There has been an outcry among parents of children with cancer after changes in the federal strategy to purchase drugs affected supply. In response, yesterday, López Obrador said that there was a plot by laboratories to hinder the supply of cancer drugs to his administration.

Champions of trusts support corruption. President López Obrador said that those who defend trusts also support corruption. “Those who are defending trusts are defending corruption. This is crystal clear because there was no control over these trusts,” he said in response to a coordinated push to counter the recent federal decision to terminate 108 trusts. López Obrador said trusts supposedly targeting science and technology had no transparency and were given as subsidies to private companies. “Even the Superior Audit of the Federation said there was no transparency. Funds were transferred from the public budget to groups and companies, a subsidy was given to corporations that have so many resources, all this under the assumption that science and technology was being developed,” he said. The Federalist Alliance’s (made up of 10 governors) push before the Supreme Court (SCJN) has been joined by groups of academics, artists, researchers and opposition legislators, creating a block to fight the decision.

INFONAVIT reform in Congress. The INFONAVIT reform initiative has been sent to Congress, so that the National Fund for Workers' Housing loans can be delivered without intermediaries, President López Obrador said. He noted that he met with the INFONAVIT´s board yesterday and that the final details are being discussed. An agreement is coming, López Obrador said on twitter yesterday after the meeting. “A tripartite institution represented by public servants, labor and business leaders. We are about to reach a good agreement for the benefit of the workers. It will soon be announced,” he wrote.

Calls on Hidalgo and Coahuila residents to vote. President López Obrador invited citizens to exercise their right to vote freely in the Hidalgo and Coahuila elections next Sunday. “That democracy be enforced, that there be free and fair elections and citizens participate and freely elect their representatives,” he said. The president noted that those who participate in the election must maintain a social distance to avoid COVID-19 contagion. “Be careful. While you are waiting to vote, keep your distance,” he said.

Presidential plane raffle results on Friday. Heads of the National Lottery (Lotenal) and the Institute to Give Back to the People the Stolen (Indep) will report on Friday the results of the so-called presidential plane raffle, President López Obrador said. “There were businessmen who bought tickets and asked us to deliver them to the poorest schools in the country and some of them were winners. I think there were eight for schools in marginalized communities,” he said and noted that each will get the MX$20 million (US$940,000) awarded per winning ticket. The luxury aircraft is still for sale after almost 20 months of trying to find a buyer. 

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Click HERE for full transcript in Spanish