Sheinbaum’s mañanera in 60 seconds
- 🇺🇸 CIA in Chihuahua: Sheinbaum said she would speak with Chihuahua Governor Maru Campos about a drug lab operation in which CIA officers allegedly participated without federal authorization. She also revealed that the Foreign Ministry sent a letter to U.S. Ambassador Ron Johnson demanding answers, and reiterated that U.S. involvement in Mexican security operations falls outside agreed protocol. “What happened is not a minor matter,” she said.
- ⚖️ New top lawyer: Sheinbaum announced she has asked Morena party president Luisa María Alcalde to take over as her chief legal adviser, following the departure of Esthela Damián Peralta, who is stepping down April 30 to pursue a gubernatorial race in Guerrero. Alcalde has yet to formally accept the role.
- ⚽ World Cup school holiday? Education Minister Mario Delgado said authorities are considering suspending classes on days when FIFA World Cup matches are played in Mexico, though no decision has been reached. Mexico hosts 13 matches across Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey starting June 11.
Why today’s mañanera matters
The alleged involvement of CIA officers in a security operation in the northern state of Chihuahua continues to be a major talking point in the national conversation.
Today’s mañanera was significant as President Sheinbaum revealed that she will speak to the governor of Chihuahua about the issue, and disclosed that her government has sent a letter to the U.S. ambassador seeking information.
Also of note at Wednesday’s mañanera was the president’s revelation that there will soon be yet another change in the upper echelons of her government. Sheinbaum has already lost two cabinet ministers this month.
Sheinbaum to speak with Chihuahua governor about US involvement in security operation
Sheinbaum told reporters that she would speak with Chihuahua Governor Maru Campos about a security operation in the northern state in which U.S. officials — reportedly CIA officers — allegedly participated.
“Dialogue and communication are always necessary,” she said.
Sheinbaum said that Interior Minister Rosa Icela Rodríguez had already spoken with Campos, whose government allegedly allowed U.S. officials to take part in an operation to dismantle a clandestine drug lab. The U.S. officials and two Mexican security officials were killed in a car accident early Sunday.
Sheinbaum said Monday that her government wasn’t aware of any collaboration between the state of Chihuahua and U.S. authorities. She has stressed that such collaboration cannot legally take place without the authorization of the federal government.
Sheinbaum reiterated that point on Wednesday morning, as well as her government’s opposition to U.S. participation in security operations in Mexico. She said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter to the U.S. ambassador in Mexico, Ron Johnson, requesting information about the U.S. officials’ work in Chihuahua and highlighting that U.S. involvement in security operations in Mexico “is not part of the security protocol to which we’ve agreed.”
“… What happened is not a minor matter,” Sheinbaum said.
She acknowledged that Campos said that the Mexican Army took part in the dismantlement of the drug lab, but asserted that the army didn’t know that U.S. officials were also participating.
Asked about reports that CIA officers in Chihuahua were wearing State Investigation Agency uniforms, Sheinbaum said the federal Security Ministry would respond.
“The whole case is being reviewed and after we can provide all the information to you,” she said.
Sheinbaum asks Morena party president to be her top legal adviser
“I’m going to give you a story,” Sheinbaum remarked before revealing that she told top officials in her administration that if they want to contest upcoming elections, they have to leave the federal government.
She said that her top legal adviser, Esthela Damián Peralta, subsequently told her that she wants to “go and work in Guerrero” — one of 17 states where gubernatorial elections will be held next year.
Sheinbaum said that Damián would leave her current position on April 30.
She subsequently said that she decided on Tuesday to ask current Morena party president Luisa María Alcalde to replace Damián at the helm of the federal executive’s legal department.
“Why Luisa María? This is important. I think she has played a great role at the helm of Morena. Luisa is an excellent lawyer, a very good lawyer. And she participated in a lot of issues in the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador, first as labor minister and then in the Interior Ministry [as interior minister]. She was very important in all the planning for the judicial reform … and some other issues,” Sheinbaum said.
She said that Alcalde told her that she would think about the job offer in the coming days and get back to her.
No school on World Cup match days?
Education Minister Mario Delgado told reporters that there is a “request” that classes be suspended on days that FIFA men’s World Cup matches are played in Mexico.
“We’re reviewing, we’re analyzing, we’re speaking to teachers to see what they think,” he said.
“… We don’t have a conclusion [yet],” Delgado said.
He didn’t say whether schools could be closed just in the Mexican cities that will host matches — Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey — or across the whole country. Canceling classes on match days could help reduce traffic in host cities.
A total of 13 World Cup matches will be played in Mexico in June and July, including the Mexican national team’s three group matches. Mexico and South Africa will contest the first match of the quadrennial tournament in Mexico City on June 11.
By Mexico News Daily chief staff writer Peter Davies (peter.davies@mexiconewsdaily.com)
