KEYPOINTS OF PRESIDENT ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR’S MORNING PRESS CONFERENCE

Health

• Transgenics: Dr. Lopez-Gatell pointed out that in the case of transgenics in food, the argumentation put forward by global multimillionaire companies that benefit from the sale of these products, is the false idea that it is the only way to contrast food shortages to combat world hunger, pointing out that the intention of agro-industrial exporting companies, is to generate a great amount of wealth because their production model is aimed at the commercialization of economically profitable products.

• Social Prevention of Addictions: Dr. Jorge Alcocer Varela, head of the Health Secretariat informed that today, the “Social Prevention of Addictions” section is inaugurated. The Undersecretary of Prevention and Health Promotion, Hugo Lopez-Gatell Ramirez, pointed out that addictions are a social problem that requires treatment and emphasized the importance of addressing the issue from a preventive approach. Regarding fentanyl, he stated that in the United States there is an enormous abuse of this drug, adding that fentanyl is not produced in Mexico, it is produced from precursors that are not manufactured in the country. He commented that, as a preventive way, the government is integrating these approaches before it becomes a public health problem, starting with a school campaign to talk about the associated risks of addictions.

• IMSS-BIENESTAR: The Director General of the Mexican Social Security Institute, Zoe Robledo Aburto, reported on the progress of the Program, regarding the rehabilitation of operating rooms, the increase in productivity in terms of surgeries in contrast to the increase in investment allocated to the Program. He also reiterated the administration’s efforts to improve the supply of medicines in all the country’s hospitals. Regarding the administrative decentralization to the entities of the Republic, he explained that in Morelia Michoacan there is already a building where they have been moving, and that they have already started operations. He added that a few days ago a series of measures were agreed upon to facilitate the transfer of personnel, both massified with trustworthy personnel.

Security

• Fentanyl: Regarding the response from the government of China, where they commented that they are not responsible for the illegal trafficking of the substance, Mr. Lopez Obrador indicated that they still do not have a formal response to his letter, for which they will seek to establish communication with the Embassy of that country in Mexico to issue a position. In this regard, President Lopez Obrador informed that this week the members of Mexico’s security cabinet will be in the United States, with the issue of fentanyl and arms trafficking on the agenda.