Mexican workers who tuned into President Claudia Sheinbaum’s Wednesday morning press conference had cause for celebration.
Labor Minister Marath Bolaños announced that the minimum wage will increase by 13% in 2026 (read MND’s story here) and presented a proposal to reduce Mexico’s standard workweek to 40 hours by 2030 (read MND’s story here).
Later in the mañanera, Sheinbaum revealed that she is planning to travel to the U.S. this week, and spoke about why she selected three women as candidates to become Mexico’s next attorney general. On Wednesday afternoon, the Senate elected Ernestina Godoy as the attorney general.
Toward the end of her press conference, Sheinbaum commented on a song that has helped disseminate one of her key education priorities.
Sheinbaum to go to DC for World Cup draw, may have ‘brief meeting’ with Trump
Sheinbaum indicated that she will travel to Washington, D.C. for the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw this Friday, telling reporters that she believed she would go and that “everything seems to indicate that we’re going.”
U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will be at the draw, which will determine which countries will play each other in the group stage of the 48-team tournament that will be co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada next June and July.
#EnLaMañanera | La presidenta Sheinbaum confirma que asistirá al sorteo del Mundial 2026, a realizarse en Washington D.C. el 5 de diciembre: “es buen momento para estar juntos, dando esta imagen de que América del Norte y nuestro compromiso comercial sigue adelante” pic.twitter.com/gZUyWUx1sv
— El Financiero (@ElFinanciero_Mx) December 3, 2025
Sheinbaum said she would provide more details about her trip to the U.S. capital on Thursday. She said that the draw, which will take place at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, will be a “very short” event.
Sheinbaum said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was notified by the U.S. Department of State that “President Trump would be happy to welcome us there.”
She also said that she spoke to FIFA president Giovanni Infantino on Tuesday. Infantino, a Swiss-born football administrator who met with Sheinbaum in Mexico City in August, will also be at the draw.
Sheinbaum said that the draw provides a good opportunity for the presidents of Mexico and the United States, and the prime minister of Canada, to get together and present “the image that North America and our trade agreement are moving forward.”
The USMCA free trade pact will undergo a formal review process in 2026.
Asked whether she would meet separately with Trump in Washington D.C., Sheinbaum said that hadn’t been determined. If a meeting were to take place, it would be “very brief,” she said.
Sheinbaum has not yet met face to face with Trump, although the two leaders have spoken on the telephone on numerous occasions.
Trade and security would likely be the main focuses of a bilateral meeting between the two presidents. The Trump administration has imposed tariffs on a range of imports from Mexico this year, and the Mexican government has been lobbying U.S. officials for months as it seeks to achieve better trading conditions with its largest trade partner.
Sheinbaum selects 3 women as candidates for attorney general role
Sheinbaum told reporters that she selected three female candidates as potential replacements for Alejandro Gertz Manero, who resigned as federal attorney general last week.
“I already sent the short list [to the Senate], they’re three women,” she said.
The three women considered for the job were:
- Ernestina Godoy, a former Mexico City attorney general and legal adviser to President Sheinbaum. Godoy was appointed interim attorney general after Gertz’s resignation.
- Luz María Zarza Delgado, a former legal director at state oil company Pemex.
- Maribel Bojorges Beltrán, a former anti-corruption prosecutor in México state.
Asked why she only considered women to replace Gertz, Sheinbaum — Mexico’s first female president — responded with a succinct phrase that she commonly uses:
“It’s time for women.”
On Wednesday afternoon, Godoy — who is close to Sheinbaum — was elected attorney general by the Senate. Ninety-seven senators supported her appointment, while 19 opposed it and there were 11 invalid votes.
Sheinbaum remarks become viral song
A reporter noted that young people are planning a “perreo por la paz” (twerking for peace) gathering to coincide with the so-called pro-government “Marcha del Tigre” (Tiger March) in Mexico City this Saturday.
He said that those who attend the perreo event will dance to a viral song that includes Sheinbaum saying, “Primero hay que construir más preparatorias que queden cerca de la casa” (First we have to build more high schools close that are close to people’s homes).
The president promptly called for the song to be played.
“This is a girl from Jalisco,” she said, referring to the young woman who appears in the video clip for the song.
@radio_formula 🎤📚 Claudia Sheinbaum se vuelve viral: jóvenes le cantan tema creado de su propio discurso#tiktokmehizover #tiktokinforma #México #Sheinbaum #Viral #Cancion ♬ sonido original – Radio Fórmula
“At an event, I don’t even know if it was during the [presidential] campaign or as president, I said: ‘We have to build more high schools that are close to people’s homes.’ That’s exactly what I said at a rally, … I said: ‘We have to build more high schools that are close to people’s homes so that upon leaving middle school you go directly to high school,'” Sheinbaum said.
“… And this girl from Jalisco made this video and it went viral. Now I go places and young people sing the song to me,” she said.
“Why did it go viral? From my point of view [it was] obviously the creativity of this girl who made this video. But secondly, it’s because it’s a necessity,” Sheinbaum said, referring to the need to have high schools that are easily accessible to the nation’s young people.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
