Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Photo: presidencia.gob.mx

By KELIN DILLON

After Mexico’s new nationwide government-imposed limits on the cost of liquified petroleum (LP) gas and the ensuing strikes from the country’s gas unions, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) during his daily press conference on Wednesday, Aug 4, said he will potentially file complaints against any parties who do not respect the new price caps and utilize the National Guard (GN) to ensure their compliance.

“The possibility of filing complaints against those who refuse to comply with their obligation to provide the service of a fundamental basic good for the people, from distributors to commission agents, is being analyzed,” said López Obrador.

The president likewise made it clear that any strikes would not “bend the state” to do the gas union’s bidding.

Remarking that the rising cost of LP gas was considered an emergency for the country, AMLO said that government authorities like the Security Cabinet, Secretariat of Energy and Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum had all met to work toward a solution to the crisis. Ultimately, the goal of the LP price limits is to create a consumer-friendly pricing structure for the average Mexican while still being able to turn a profit for distributors and retailers.

“These are measures that we have to carry out for the benefit of the people, for the benefit of the people,” said López Obrador.

AMLO then said he would employ the National Guard to protect distributors and commission agents throughout the ordeal, ultimately supervising their actions surrounding the cost caps.

“We are going to speak with the distributors and commission agents to offer them security guarantees because yesterday they said that they could not leave because their units could be vandalized,” said  López Obrador.

“The national guard is going to intervene to protect them, so that they help and that there is no shortage of gas supplies.”