President Claudia Sheinbaum frequently praises Andrés Manuel López Obrador, but she made it clear at her Friday morning press conference that her predecessor no longer has a hand in the decisions taken by the Mexican government.
Among other issues, Sheinbaum spoke briefly about her attire, which caught the attention of a London-based magazine.
Sheinbaum: Claims that AMLO makes decisions for ‘our government’ are ‘misogynistic’
A reporter asked Sheinbaum about her decision not to invite the King of Spain to her inauguration as president last year, noting that she wrote in her newly published book that she made the decision out of her “own conviction” rather than on the advice of ex-president López Obrador (AMLO).
In response, Sheinbaum said that the “narrative” that the decisions made by “our government come from the other side, or from president López Obrador, to be very clear,” is “quite misogynistic.”
She said that “obviously” is not the case.
Sheinbaum has faced claims that she is essentially a “puppet” of AMLO, her political mentor and boss when she served as environment minister in the Mexico City government he led as mayor in the early 2000s.
During his presidency, López Obrador wrote to the King of Spain to request that he apologize for the injustices committed against Indigenous people during the Spanish Conquest of Mexico. No apology was forthcoming, and in 2022 AMLO declared a “pause” in bilateral ties between Mexico and Spain due to what he described as a lack of respect from the European nation.
On Friday, Sheinbaum said that López Obrador — after she advised him she wasn’t inviting the King of Spain to her swearing-in ceremony — told her that there was no need for her to maintain the “differences” that his government had with Spain.
She said that she subsequently told AMLO that she decided not to invite the King of Spain to her inauguration, not because of what he had or hadn’t advised her to do, but rather out of her own “conviction.”
Sheinbaum’s remarks on Friday morning came after she congratulated Spain’s foreign minister for acknowledging the injustices Indigenous peoples in Mexico have suffered — including at the hands of Spanish conquistadores and during the colonial period — in an address he gave at the inauguration of a Mexican Indigenous art exhibition in Madrid.
She said it was “the first time” a representative of the Spanish government had publicly lamented the injustices faced by Mexico’s Indigenous peoples.
Navy hasn’t rescued survivor of US strikes
Sheinbaum said that the Navy may comment later in the day on its mission aimed at the rescue of a survivor of U.S. military strikes on alleged drug boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Monday. Fourteen alleged drug traffickers were killed in the strikes, at least one of which occurred in international waters off Mexico’s southern Pacific coast.
On Friday afternoon, the Navy Ministry (Semar) said on social media that the search for the survivor — who may well have already died — would be significantly scaled back on Saturday morning.
Mañana a las 06:30 horas se cumplirán las 96 horas desde el inicio de la búsqueda del presunto náufrago reportado por la Guardia Costera de EUA a la Armada de México.
Con ello, la operación pasará al estatus de “activo suspendido”, lo que significa que los esfuerzos continuarán… https://t.co/hjdcB0vpXO
— SEMAR México (@SEMAR_mx) October 31, 2025
It said that at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, 96 hours will have elapsed since the search for the survivor began. Sheinbaum said on Thursday that was the period of time the navy was required to maintain its search in accordance with international law.
Semar said that after the completion of the 96-hour period, the search operation will transition to “active suspended” status, meaning that “efforts will continue through vessels navigating the area,” but the ocean patrol vessel and the aircraft which were specifically deployed to conduct the search “will rejoin their regular operations.”
Sheinbaum says she is proud to wear traditional Mexican garments
A reporter highlighted that the British magazine Monocle wrote about Sheinbaum’s attire, including her use of garments featuring “embroidery of Indigenous peoples.”
In an article headlined “Threads of power: How global leaders’ style shapes their influence,” Monocle’s Andrew Mueller wrote:
“There are wretchedly few advantages to being a woman in politics but one is a license to operate beyond the confinements of a suit and tie. Claudia Sheinbaum has seized upon this opportunity – and upon her country’s distinctive and admired Indigenous textiles. The visual signature of her 2024 election campaign was purple dresses, including one decorated with a spectacular floral breastplate on the day she won. When she was inaugurated last October, she wore an ivory dress with embroidered floral embroidery by Oaxacan designer Claudia Vásquez Aquino. Pairing stylish and stately isn’t easy but Mexico’s first female president has achieved it.”
Sheinbaum initially described Monocle’s article as “frivolity,” but subsequently said that it gave her a lot of pride to wear Indigenous textiles as well as garments decorated with traditional embroidery.
She agreed that her use of such clothing was a way to “make the cultural grandeur of Mexico visible.”
“Que viva México!” (Long live Mexico!)” the president exclaimed, underscoring her pride in the country she leads, and especially the people — including many talented Indigenous artisans — who call it home.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
