By RICARDO CASTILLO Chihuahua Governor Seeks Martyrdom In the past two weeks, National Action Party (PAN) Chihuahua Governor Javier Corral has staged two major publicity stunts: First he led a group of 10 state governors to splinter from the National Governors’ Conference (Conago), and then, Immediately afterwards, he permitted a group of farmers to take the federally managed and National
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By RICARDO CASTILLO Wet Politicking in Dry Chihuahua There was a faceoff this week between farmers and the National Guard (GN) at the La Boquilla reservoir on the Conchos River, which feeds into the Rio Grande at the Ojinaga-Presidio border. The GN, in charge of safekeeping the dam, had to withdraw from the facility on Tuesday, Sept. 8, to avoid
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By RICARDO CASTILLO It is that time of the year in Mexico when the Treasury Secretariat sends what is known as “the economic package” for the year to come. On Tuesday, Sept. 8, Treasury Secretary Arturo Herrera visited the Chamber of Deputies to hand deliver “the package” to new Deputies’ President Dulce María Sauri Riancho. Legally known as the “Law
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By RICARDO CASTILLO Cleavage at Conago Ten Mexican governors met Monday, Sept. 7, in the northern city of Chihuahua. The purpose of their gathering was to vote on whether to continue to participate in the National Governors Commission (Conago), an organization that aims to be one voice before the president. The outcome of the meeting was that all10 voted to
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By RICARDO CASTILLO Although only one out of seven new applications for registration as a political party was accepted last Friday, Sept. 5, by Mexico’s National Electoral Institute (INE), that does not mean the quest for registration is over for those dissatisfied with the decision. The only party admitted for registration was the Solidary Encounter Party (PES). Three of the
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By RICARDO CASTILLO The Last of the Sauri-ans The first week of September in Mexican politics was raucous from start to finish. Here is a capsulated roundup of events: It all started on Monday, Aug. 31, with the first vote at the Mexican Chamber of Deputies for the upcoming third and last year of the current legislature. Contending for the
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By RICARDO CASTILLO A mystery shadow is lingering over the future performance of Mexico’s currently leading political party, the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), in the 2021 midterm elections. Keep in mind that on Wednesday, Sept. 9, the National Electoral Institute (INE) will notify all political parties in Mexico to get their candidates for office on line to be sworn in
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By RICARDO CASTILLO Haphazard School Kickoff The school year in Mexico kicked off on Monday, Aug. 24, with all of the failures expected from a nation not accustomed to remote education. With classes at home, parents from all over the country complained first about the communications system failure as teachers responsible for their groups groped to find alternative education methods.
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By RICARDO CASTILLO This is the summer storm season for Mexico, so talking about yet another up-and-coming tempest – and not in a teapot – is not only normal, but also routine. The one storm I want to deal with today is the current drafting process of the 2021 Economic Package that Mexican Treasury Secretary Arturo Herrera is in the
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By RICARDO CASTILLO A War of Leaks Ever since the 63-page script containing the accusations the former director of the state-run oil interest Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), Emilio Lozoya Austin, made against a numerous set of former public officials, a small war of leaks has been taking place in Mexican politics. First Lozoya directly accused former Mexican Presidents Felipe Calderón, Enrique
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