Mexican boxing champion Saúl “Canelo” Álvarez made an appearance at President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press conference on Friday.
But before the 34-year-old Guadalajara native addressed the press conference, Sheinbaum spoke about a range of issues including the government’s controversial constitutional bill that seeks to eliminate seven autonomous government agencies.
Sheinbaum defends elimination of watchdogs
Speaking the morning after the Senate approved the aforesaid constitutional bill, Sheinbaum once again spoke out in favor of the reform.
“The autonomous bodies weren’t created to put an end to private monopolies,” she said.
“… No, it was to avoid state companies, particularly Pemex and the Federal Electricity Commission [CFE], being recognized as public companies,” Sheinbaum said.
The Federal Economic Competition Commission (Cofece), Mexico’s antitrust agency, “has dedicated itself to stopping public companies,” she said.
As a result of a recent energy reform, Pemex and the CFE are no longer called “productive” state companies (that prioritize profits), but rather “public” state companies (that ostensibly prioritize serving the people of Mexico.)
Sheinbaum dismissed claims that “there is going to be an authoritarian government” as a result of the elimination of the seven autonomous agencies, including Cofece, the National Institute for Transparency, Access to Information and the Protection of Personal Data and the Federal Telecommunications Institute.
Regulation will continue as “it’s one of the great tasks of government,” she said.
“But … [we have] a completely different vision [that includes] putting an end to corruption and privileges and also recovering the role of public companies as engines of the national economy,” Sheinbaum said.
“… Public companies are public companies that can’t be considered monopolies,” she said after railing against previous governments for “abandoning” Pemex and the CFE during Mexico’s so-called “neoliberal period” (1982-2018).
During the 2012-18 government led by former president Enrique Peña Nieto, Mexico’s energy sector was opened up to private and foreign companies, allowing them to compete against Pemex and the CFE. This year’s energy reform, approved by Congress last month, revokes parts of the 2013 reform.
Export revenue growth ‘won’t stop’
After emphasizing that Mexico remains open to foreign investment despite the move to give state-owned companies a more prominent role in the national economy, Sheinbaum noted that revenue from Mexican exports increased 11.2% annually in October.
“That won’t stop. That won’t stop,” she said.
Canelo makes surprise appearance
Toward the end of her Friday morning press conference, Sheinbaum announced it was time for a “surprise.”
Canelo Álvarez and World Boxing Council (WBC) President Mauricio Sulaimán Saldivar subsequently walked onto the mañanera stage, the latter carrying the WBC super-middleweight belt Canelo retained in September.
After sharing a hug with Sheinbaum, Álvarez thanked the president for inviting him to her press conference and expressed his gratitude to reporters for “getting excited” upon seeing him.
Among other remarks, Canelo said that sport can help young people who lack direction in life and expressed his willingness to participate in a government campaign on healthy living.
“If it’s to help people and support Mexico, support young people … I’ll always be there giving 100%,” he said.
Sheinbaum described Canelo as “the pride of Mexico for many reasons — not just because he’s a champion that exalts the name of our country, but also because he is a very complete man.”
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
