Before presiding over the opening ceremony of the Inter-Parliamentary Union’s Global Conference of Women Parliamentarians, President Claudia Sheinbaum held her final morning press conference of the week at the National Palace.
Among the issues she spoke about at her Friday mañanera were a proposal to prohibit violent bullfighting in Mexico City, the upcoming judicial elections and a change of leadership in Ottawa.
Sheinbaum supports bloodless bullfighting proposal
A reporter asked Sheinbaum about Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada’s proposal to ban bullfights in which bulls are killed or wounded. If approved by the Mexico City Congress, “violence-free bull shows” would replace traditional bullfighting events at the capital’s Plaza de Toros, the world’s largest bullring.
“I think it’s very good,” Sheinbaum said of Brugada’s proposal
“… There are a lot of people who work, … who are linked to the rearing [of bulls] and everything related to bullfighting,” she said.
“So this proposal seeks to maintain [the employment] of this whole group that works in bullfighting … but at the same time respect the constitution, which now clearly establishes the protection of animals,” Sheinbaum said.
The president highlighted that “other countries” have replaced traditional bullfighting events with non-violent bull shows, including Spain, which she described as “the birthplace of bullfighting.”
“… There are even cities that have completely banned [bullfighting] , such as Barcelona, if I’m not mistaken,” Sheinbaum said.
“But there are other countries, cities, that have chosen this [non-violent] option, and I think it’s a good way out,” she said.
‘A new judicial power is coming’
Sheinbaum reminded reporters that Mexico’s first ever judicial elections will be held on June 1.
“A new judicial power is coming,” she said.
“By the way, we’re going to ask the National Electoral Institute why the campaigns haven’t formally started yet,” Sheinbaum said.
“On Monday we’re going to present the ballots so that the people of Mexico know what the ballots with which they’re going to vote on June 1 look like,” she added.
“Don’t forget the judicial elections on June 1. A new judicial power is coming,” Sheinbaum said, adding that there are two main reasons for electing new judges, including Supreme Court Justices.
“One is [to get rid of] the corruption and the nepotism [in the current judiciary],” she said.
“… And the other is that in Mexico, with the fourth transformation, economic power was separated from political power,” she said, referring to the political “transformation” initiated by former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
“Only one part is missing. … What we want is to separate the economic power from justice so that everyone has equal access to justice, so that the poorest person has the same access to justice as the richest person,” Sheinbaum said.
The judicial elections will take place on June 1 due to the approval by Congress last year of a controversial judicial reform put forward by López Obrador.
Opportunity will come to speak with new Canadian PM
Sheinbaum said she expected to soon have the opportunity to speak to new Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was sworn in on Friday amid a burgeoning trade war with the United States.
“And we hope, as we have always said, that the trade agreement Canada, the United States and Mexico have will be maintained for the benefit of the three countries,” she said.
Later in the day, Sheinbaum took to social media to congratulate Carney, a former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England who replaces Justin Trudeau as prime minister and is widely expected to call a general election soon.
“I congratulate Mark Carney for his appointment as prime minister. Mexico and Canada share a relationship of friendship, trade and cooperation based on respect and the shared prosperity of the region,” she wrote.
“We will work to strengthen ties for the benefit of our peoples,” Sheinbaum added.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies ([email protected])
