Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds

• 🌱 A ‘labor spring’ on Workers’ Day: Labor Minister Marath Bolaños marked May 1 by highlighting 4T-era gains: the daily minimum wage has risen from 88 to 315 pesos since 2018, unemployment has dropped from 3.7% to 2.4%, and a phased reform will cut the standard workweek from 48 to 40 hours by 2030.

• ⚖️ Sovereignty a priority in Sinaloa governor case: Sheinbaum denied she is caught between a rock and a hard place over the U.S. drug trafficking case against Sinaloa Gov. Rubén Rocha Moya. She reiterated that the Federal Attorney General’s Office — not U.S. authorities — will determine whether sufficient evidence exists to approve extradition.

• ⛽ Government caps fuel prices: With oil prices climbing to around $120 a barrel, Sheinbaum highlighted price cap agreements with gas station chains that hold gasoline below 24 pesos per liter and diesel at 27 pesos — levels she said would otherwise have exceeded 30 and 35 pesos, respectively.

Why today’s mañanera matters

Two governors of northern Mexican states — Rubén Rocha Moya in Sinaloa and Maru Campos in Chihuahua — are currently in difficult situations. Rocha, who represents the ruling Morena party, faces drug trafficking charges in the United States. Campos, who represents the opposition National Action Party, is accused of allowing officers with the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to participate in a security operation in Chihuahua in violation of Mexico’s Constitution and National Security Law.

President Sheinbaum also appears to be in a tricky situation, although on Friday morning she denied that she is “entre la espada y la pared” — between the sword and the wall, or, idiomatically, between a rock and a hard place.

If Rocha isn’t extradited to the United States, the Sheinbaum administration will face claims that it is protecting a corrupt governor who has allegedly colluded with the Chapitos faction of the Sinaloa Cartel. If Rocha is extradited, the federal government could face claims that it has meekly ceded to U.S. demands. Sheinbaum could also face blowback from Morena if one of the party’s top officials is handed over to the U.S.

As things stand, Sheinbaum believes (or at least says) that there is a lack of hard “proof” to arrest Rocha for purposes of extradition.

On Friday morning, the president once again underscored her commitment to defending Mexican sovereignty and reiterated that Mexican authorities — namely the Federal Attorney General’s Office — will decide whether there is sufficient evidence to warrant the extradition of Rocha, who would have to be stripped of his political immunity before he could be sent to the U.S.

Also of note at today’s mañanera was the federal labor minister’s overview of how Mexico’s labor landscape has changed in recent years.

The 4T ‘labor spring’

On International Workers’ Day, Sheinbaum said that her mañanera — held at a cultural center in the historic center of Mexico City — was dedicated to the workers of Mexico.

Labor Minister Marath Bolaños subsequently outlined how labor and employment conditions have improved under “Fourth Transformation” (4T) governments — i.e. those led by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (2018-24) and Sheinbaum.

He highlighted that Mexico’s minimum wage increased by double digits in percentage terms every year between 2019 and 2026. The minimum wage is currently 315 pesos (US $18) per day in most of the country, up from 88 pesos in 2018.

Bolaños said that the monthly minimum wage can now purchase 1.91 basic food baskets (canastas básicas), up from 0.78 in 2018.

He also highlighted that unemployment has declined from 3.7% in 2018 to 2.4% in (March) 2026.

Among the other labor changes Bolaños spoke about was a reform that allows workers for digital platforms such as Uber and Rappi to access formal employment benefits.

He also noted that Congress approved a constitutional reform that will reduce Mexico’s standard workweek from 48 hours to 40 hours by 2030. Bolaños said that around 14 million workers will benefit from the reform, under which Mexico’s standard workweek will decline to 46 hours in 2027, 44 hours in 2028, 42 hours in 2029 and 40 hours in 2030.

Sheinbaum asserted that Mexico is experiencing a “labor spring” under 4T governments.

Is Sheinbaum caught between a rock and a hard place?

A reporter asked the president whether the drug trafficking accusations in the United States against Sinaloa Governor Rubén Rocha are related to the “situation” involving Chihuahua Governor Maru Campos, whose government allegedly allowed CIA personnel to participate in a drug lab raid in the northern state in violation of Mexican law.

Is the U.S. government attempting to “protect” Campos, asked the reporter, who depicted the situation as one in which the United States could retaliate for any action against the Chihuahua governor with the prosecution of the case against Rocha.

“I was looking at some publications yesterday and today [saying] they’re putting the president between a rock and a hard place. False,” Sheinbaum said.

“To start, in Mexico, Mexicans decide,” Sheinbaum said, referring to the decision whether Rocha will be extradited to the United States to face charges.

The president — who said on Thursday that the U.S. accusations against Rocha and nine other Mexican defendants lack “proof” — subsequently reiterated her commitment to “truth, justice and the defense of sovereignty in the case of Chihuahua, in the case of Sinaloa and in any other case.”

“… With the United States we cooperate, we coordinate, but as I’ve said many times we will never subordinate ourself,” Sheinbaum said.

She noted that the Federal Attorney General’s Office is investigating both the alleged participation of CIA personnel in a security operation in Chihuahua and the accusations against Rocha and nine other Sinaloa-based current and former officials.

Sheinbaum said she felt “calm” about the whole situation — “without any problem.”

She also said that “there is a principle called sovereignty, and that isn’t negotiated.”

That remark elicited enthusiastic applause from government officials, union representatives and other mañanera attendees.

Sheinbaum refuses to extradite Sinaloa Gov. Rocha to US without ‘irrefutable’ evidence of wrongdoing

Sheinbaum: ‘If we hadn’t acted,’ gasoline would cost more than 30 pesos per liter 

Near the end of her press conference, Sheinbaum noted that the price of oil had risen to around US $120 per barrel, a four-year high.

“What did we do? We guaranteed gasoline at less than 24 pesos [per liter],” she said, referring to the government’s price cap agreement with more than 20 gas station companies.

“If we hadn’t acted, gasoline today would be more than 30 pesos [per liter],” Sheinbaum said.

She noted that the government has also reached an agreement with gas station owners to have the price of diesel capped at 27 pesos per liter.

“Next week, gas stations have to show diesel at 27 pesos,” Sheinbaum said.

“Diesel could be 35 pesos [per liter] if we hadn’t acted,” she said.

The diesel deal includes a commitment from Pemex to reduce the price at which it sells diesel to gas stations by 90 centavos per liter.

By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)