Among the topics discussed at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Wednesday morning press conference were the corruption allegations detailed in a book by a former federal official and the United States’ tariffs on steel and aluminum.
Late in the mañanera, Sheinbaum encouraged more countries to send humanitarian aid to Cuba, a country currently plagued by severe fuel and food shortages.
Government not planning to investigate accusations made by AMLO-era legal advisor in new book
A reporter noted that Julio Scherer Ibarra — who served as former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s top legal advisor between 2018 and 2021 — makes various allegations of corruption in his book “Ni venganza ni perdón.”
Scherer, a lawyer, writer and academic whose father founded the news magazine Proceso, levels accusations of corruption against various people who served in AMLO’s government, including the ex-president’s spokesman Jesús Ramírez, who is now Sheinbaum’s coordinator of advisors.
The aforesaid reporter asked Anti-Corruption and Good Governance Minister Raquel Buenrostro whether the ministry she leads should investigate Scherer’s accusations “de oficio” (ex officio), or on its own initiative.
“We always follow up on every complaint that comes in, always,” Buenrostro said.
“We receive anonymous complaints. Many complaints are made in newspapers — you say ‘Hopefully the Anti-Corruption Ministry will look into this’ — and you give us details, names, official documents, places. When that information is available and considered relevant, we can initiate investigations on our own initiative,” she said.
“When there’s no [supporting] information, just someone’s word, it’s complicated. I mean, we have a finite number of people. So, when do we initiate investigations on our own initiative? Well, when there is enough evidence to know where to begin,” Buenrostro said.
The reporter pointed out that the accusations come from an official who worked in AMLO’s government and was “perhaps” a witness to the cases of corruption he describes in his book.
Sheinbaum interrupted to say that Scherer should present a formal complaint to authorities, as he did against former attorney general Alejandro Gertz Manero and other high-ranking law enforcement officials in 2022.
Buenrostro agreed with the president.
“He should file complaints because the narrative [in the book] is insufficient to begin an investigation,” she said.
“Whoever has proof should present a complaint, right?” Sheinbaum said. “I mean, anyone can do it.”
Removal of US metal tariffs ‘would be very good,’ Sheinbaum says after USTR remarks
A reporter noted that U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer made remarks on Tuesday about the United States’ steel and aluminum tariffs and asked the president what relevant information her government has.
“We’ve been reading and something was mentioned to [Economy] Minister Ebrard. We still don’t have anything concrete,” Sheinbaum said.
In an interview with CNBC, Greer said that the United States’ steel exports have increased as a result of the implementation of tariffs, before noting that “there was some reporting over the weekend about adjustments there.”
“You may want to sometimes adjust the way some of the tariffs are applied for compliance purposes. I’m not giving you double-talk here. We’ve heard stories of companies that have had to hire extra people for compliance. We’re not trying to have people do so much bean counting that they’re not running their company correctly,” the trade representative said.
“The president’s tariffs on steel and aluminum have been very successful, shipping more steel than ever, opening up new steel lines, new aluminum smelters announced, so clearly those are going in the right direction and they’re going to stay in place,” Greer added.
Although Greer gave no clear indication that the United States would lower its 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum — including Mexican steel and aluminum — Sheinbaum said she hoped they would.
“It is something that we have been requesting,” she noted.
“The tariffs on steel and aluminum aren’t, let’s say, just on pure steel and aluminum,” Sheinbaum said, noting that the duties also apply to products derived from those metals.
“That causes a lot of problems,” she said.
Asked whether her government believes that adjustments to the steel and aluminum tariffs would in fact entail their elimination, Sheinbaum responded, “We’ll have to see, we’re going to wait.”
“Remember that [the tariff] is at 50%, it’s a very high tariff. So, that’s also having an impact in the United States. Many of these tariffs have a significant impact on Americans because they raise prices and increase inflation,” she added, contradicting remarks made by Greer on Tuesday.
“… We’re going to wait, and if that’s the case, it would be very good,” Sheinbaum said, referring to a possible (although seemingly unlikely) decision by the U.S. government to eliminate tariffs on steel and aluminum.
Sheinbaum: Hopefully more countries will send aid to Cuba
After a reporter noted that Mexico has recently sent humanitarian aid to Cuba and that Spain has committed to doing the same, Sheinbaum said that “hopefully more countries will join” the efforts to support the Cuban people.
“We’re going to continue sending aid,” the president added.
Mexico sends 800 tonnes of aid to Cuba, with more on the way
Mexico, however, has suspended its shipments of oil to Cuba in order to avoid the imposition of additional tariffs on its exports to the United States.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced in late January that the United States would impose additional tariffs on goods from countries that supply oil to the communist-run Caribbean island.
On Wednesday morning, Sheinbaum reiterated that Mexico has always shown solidarity with Cuba, and now “won’t be the exception.”
On Friday, she said her government was prepared to establish a “humanitarian aid air bridge” to transport to Cuba provisions brought to Mexico by other countries around the world.
On Wednesday, CNN reported that “Cuba may be experiencing the most profound moment of economic uncertainty that the island’s residents have endured in decades if not over their entire lives.”
“Through military action in Venezuela and threats of tariffs on Mexico, the Trump administration has shut off the flow of oil to Cuba, attempting to strong-arm the communist-run island into making significant political and economic reforms,” CNN wrote.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
