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

April 26 – May 2, 2023

Political Agenda

• President’s Report: The Secretary of Government informed the President about the 16 minutes approved in the Chamber of Deputies and the closing of activities in that chamber. In addition, he spoke about the daily Security Report, the evaluation of the Security Strategy and the progress of the Welfare Program. Regarding the “fast-track” approval of the minutes, the Secretary reiterated that the legislative process was not violated, and that the waiver of formalities allows them to pass directly to the Plenary. He affirmed that the initiative on Science and Technology was voted in commissions and there was no irregularity in the legislative process. He hopes that the Senate can approve the minutes and assured that they still have time to do so.

• Presidential Tour: President Lopez Obrador stated that this weekend he will visit the Mayan Train. Next week he will supervise the refineries and works in Matamoros, Reynosa and Nuevo Laredo. In approximately one month he will visit Sonora. Likewise, he commented that from Thursday afternoon he will leave for Puebla to participate in the Cinco de Mayo ceremony.

• Meeting with Senators of the Republic: During a meeting with legislators, satisfaction was expressed for the work done and the parliamentary practice of stopping the legislative clock to explain reforms was discussed. The Director General of Conacyt will attend next Wednesday’s morning conference to explain the reform. The approval of reforms for the benefit of the people was highlighted and the possibility of convening an extraordinary period was discussed. It was mentioned that Conacyt’s money is being used for research of national interest, instead of giving subsidies to transnational companies. The cancellation of the rural finance company and the free delivery of fertilizer throughout the country were also discussed. Regarding transparency, it was pointed out that no complaints were made during the period of the greatest looting in Mexico’s history and the high cost of PPPs in the construction of hospitals was given as an example. Finally, reference was made to Claudio X. Gonzalez and the cancellation of US government support to his cause was requested.

• Health of the president: The president referred to having finished his treatment and having “a mission” that keeps him on his feet; consolidating welfare programs, watching over the economy (same that he considered “going very well”, due to the strength of the peso, the drop in inflation

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

late corrupt behaviors. He proposed that the ASF perform the functions of the INAI and criticized the term of office of the commissioners: The President invited his party’s legislators to advance in policies that would make it difficult to reverse the modifications promoted by his administration in case the conservative bloc returns to power. In addition, he reaffirmed his intention to transfer control of the National Guard to the Secretary of Defense.

levels, the increase in salaries and the enrollment of workers to the IMSS) and consolidating the 4T transformation projects.

• Sale of the presidential airplane: The President stated that there are two national projects: the conservative bloc and the transformation. In this sense, he considered that the INAI “is useless”, and that the ASF should perform its functions. He criticized the term of office of the commissioners and the proposal of irremovability, and invited the opposition senators to stop the simulation. He also reaffirmed his intention to transfer control of the National Guard to the Secretary of Defense to advance his administration’s policies and make it difficult to undo them if in the future the “conservative bloc” returns to power.

• INAI: The President affirmed that there are two projects of nation: the conservative and the transformation, and criticized the role of INAI, pointing out that it serves no purpose other than to simu-

• Mining Reform: The Secretary of Government pointed out that a minute is still being analyzed in Commissions and asked that there be no haste in its approval in the Senate. He affirmed that the ruling benefits the Mexican people, since it gives priority to indigenous peoples for access to water consumption and removes the preferential nature of mining. In addition, he assured that this minute meets the expectations of investors and social groups in the states, as well as environmental and water defenders.

• Change from INSABI to IMSS Bienestar: The Secretary of Government indicated that the change from INSABI to IMSS Bienestar guarantees access to health care for the entire population. He commented that with this reform, the payment of fees is eliminated, ensuring free service. He also indicated that yesterday, the director of IMSS, Zoe Robledo, presented the advances in the supply system, being the best system for the supply of medicines and medical supplies in the country, thanks to the acquisition of distribution warehouses in Quintana Roo and Nayarit. He highlighted that the resources saved with this change will go to the purchase of medicines by the SSA.

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

Economy

• Economic growth: Mexico’s president notes that the country has had economic growth of 3.9% in the last quarter, with a better distribution of income and an appreciation of the peso compared to the dollar. In addition, there has been a decrease in inflation and no financial crisis is foreseen in the coming years, although it could occur as of 2025 due to external factors, such as the elections in the U.S. The government will continue with financial discipline and austerity, and will focus on food and energy self-sufficiency, as well as strengthening the domestic market, without indebting the country.

• Welfare Programs: Ariadna Montiel Reyes, Secretary of Welfare. - For the two-month period of May - June, a total dispersion of more than 13 mmdp is expected. There has been a strategy to change cards from the private bank to the welfare bank; she urged to make the card change according to the proposed stage. In May, the cards of Banorte, Santander, Banco Azteca, HSBC, Scotiabank and Afirme will be changed. He recalled that in January and February the Banamex change was made and the Bancomer changes were recently concluded.

• Remittances: Maria del Rocio Mejia, CEO of Financiera para el Bienestar. - She informed that there will be two options for sending remittances, the traditional stage and now it will be possible to make use of a digital tool through the FINABIEN app. He informed that the FINABIEN - United States card is already available through Mexican consulates (they will also have a bank account). This fulfills the government’s objective of creating alternatives for sending and receiving remittances.

Security

• Security Report: The Zero Impunity program has led to the arrest of 17,000 people from April 18 to May 1, including the former delegate of the Benito Juarez mayoralty and local deputy, Christian Von Roehrich, for the CDMX Real Estate Cartel case. The Secretariat of the Navy has carried out 690 operations against drug trafficking and synthetic drugs, in addition to continuing with medical attention and vaccination against COVID-19. The National Guard continues to support security in the subway and 178 thousand elements of the National Guard and Armed Forces have been deployed. The Secretariat of Public Security and Citizen Protection reported on the regularization of vehicles with foreign provenance, with 1 million 415 thousand 532 vehicles already regularized in the 152 modules, and the program continues until June 30, 2023.

Bilateral Relation

• Security meeting with the United States: Today there will be a meeting with President Joe Biden’s