Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds
- 🎤 Cuernavaca cabinet meeting: Sheinbaum held her Friday presser in Morelos, spotlighting a 54% murder-rate drop under Gov. Margarita González, credited to the federal Plan Morelos.
- 📊 Security perception improves: INEGI’s Q2 survey showed 59.8% of respondents feel unsafe in their city, down from 61.5% in March and 63.8% in December.
- 🚨Temoac mayor murder: Federal agents are aiding Morelos prosecutors probing the killing of Mayor Valentín Lavín Moreno, who had alleged ties to local crime groups; his in-laws were arrested Thursday.
- 📰 Oaxaca journalist killing: Federal prosecutors took over the case of slain journalist Alejandro Leyva at Oaxaca’s request; Sheinbaum tasked the AG with meeting Leyva’s family.
- ⚖️ Ruffo arrest not political: Sheinbaum denied persecution claims over ex-Baja California governor Ernesto Ruffo’s arrest, tying it to a 12-month fuel theft probe involving his company, Ingemar.
Why today’s mañanera matters
President Claudia Sheinbaum held her Friday morning press conference in Cuernavaca, the capital of the state of Morelos, continuing a practice begun in January of holding regional Security Cabinet meetings on the road to highlight local challenges.
Located just south of Mexico City, Morelos is the third-smallest entity in the republic, with a population of just under 2 million residents.
Morelos is grappling with corruption and organized crime challenges, though murder rates have dropped by 54% since Governor Margarita González was sworn in on Oct. 1, 2024 (the same day Sheinbaum took office).
Officials credited Plan Morelos — a joint federal-state security strategy implemented in April — and state-level efforts for reducing high-impact crimes across the state.
President touts improving public perception of security
Sheinbaum highlighted improvement in the public perception of security as reflected in the quarterly survey conducted by the national statistics agency INEGI, saying the results indicate that the public is noticing the advancements her government is making.
So far this year, Mexicans’ perception of insecurity dropped in both the first and the second quarter.
INEGI reported that 63.8% of those surveyed felt unsafe in their city in December, while 61.5% said they felt unsafe in March. That number fell to 59.8% in the latest survey.
The president acknowledged that perception sometimes changes gradually, often depending on whether one or one’s family have been victims of a crime.
“But it also depends on what you hear or read,” she said. “The important thing is that we are delivering results … and the population sees that.”
Federal authorities take over two high-profile murder cases
In stark juxtaposition to the public perception survey, Sheinbaum and Security Minister Omar García Harfuch offered updates on the investigations into Wednesday’s shocking murders.
With regard to the murder of Valentín Lavín Moreno, the mayor of Temoac (just 80 kilometers east of Cuernavaca), Harfuch said federal agents are working closely with Morelos prosecutors “to clarify the events and apprehend those responsible.”
Harfuch added that Lavín, who was shot to death in his City Hall office, was under investigation for possible links to two local crime groups. Lavín’s in-laws were arrested on Thursday, accused of having ties to organized crime.
A few hours before the tragic events in Temoac, journalist Alejandro Leyva was shot to death in the state of Oaxaca.
Federal prosecutors have taken over the case at the request of the Oaxaca authorities, Harfuch said, declining to elaborate further.
Sheinbaum has directed Attorney General Rosa Icela Rodríguez to meet with Leyva’s family and will also consult with journalists. “We have committed to several meetings in hopes of reassuring them that impunity will not be permitted,” Rodríguez said.
Oaxaca journalist, known for criticizing governor, shot dead; Feds takes over the case
Sheinbaum denies Ruffo arrest linked to politics
In response to a question regarding opposition figures accusing the Sheinbaum administration of political persecution, the president denied that federal prosecutors are targeting political opponents.
Addressing the recent arrest of former Baja California Governor Ernesto Ruffo — a member of the National Action Party (PAN) — Sheinbaum said Ruffo was ensnared in a 12-month fuel theft investigation in which eight others were arrested.
“[Ruffo] is the primary shareholder [of Ingemar, the company accused of criminal activity], but he was not the ‘target’ … and the investigation is ongoing,” she said, adding that any others found to be involved will be pursued equally.
Sheinbaum said the investigation seeks to prove that Ingemar was illegally importing fuel (and evading taxes) and was fraudulently distributing it. “This has nothing to do with politics,” she said.
