Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Vows to Continue AMLO’s Legacy

 

By David Starr

 

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, known as AMLO, passed the political baton to Claudia Sheinbaum, who is Mexico’s first woman president. AMLO has been president for six years and introduced the project of the Fourth Transformation, where there was more of a focus on progressive policies complimenting labor rights, and indigenous rights. Sheinbaum will continue the Fourth Transformation in order to further improve the conditions within Mexico for the many. AMLO declared he was retiring from politics.

 

According to People’s Dispatch, Sheinbaum praised AMLO in her acceptance speech for the presidency, saying, “History and the people have judged AMLO, one of the greats, the most important leader and social fighter in modern history, the most beloved president, the best president of Mexico, who started the peaceful revolution of public life.” 

 

AMLO has indeed been a force to be reckoned with. His legacy was looked at by Democracy Now!, detailing his policies.

 

One of Sheinbaum’s policies will focus on the environment. Sheinbaum is an environmental engineer and she has a goal of investing more in scientific and technological development, and renewable energy.

 

Another focus for Sheinbaum is the rights of women: 

 

“It is the time of women. For a long time, we women were annulled, many of us were told as children a vision of history that made us believe that the course of humanity was only led by men…In 503 years of history for the first time, we women reached the presidency. And I say we are here, because I am not alone, we are all here…Those who could have raised their voices and did not do so are here. The indigenous women arrive. Those who have had to keep quiet and shouted alone have arrived. To the anonymous women, anonymous heroines, who from their homes, the streets, or workplaces, fought to see this moment.”

 

Sheinbaum also wants to recognize indigenous peoples. One way is to acknowledge the development of their forms of civilizations. Sheinbaum is well aware of the historical (and present-day) domination and oppression of indigenous peoples. But she is also aware of their resistance and struggles.

 

Mexico called on Spain to apologize for its’ terroristic crusades against indigenous peoples. But the King of Spain refused, and was thus not invited to the presidential ceremonies in Mexico. In a press conference, it was Sheinbaum who apologized for the Tlatelolco Massacre, to students killed by the Mexican militarybefore the Summer Olympics which was hosted by Mexico in 1968. The students, from the National Autonomous University of Mexico and the National Polytechnic Institute were protesting repression of opposition by the governing U.S.-backed Institutional Revolutionary Party.

 

Unlike some politicians in the USA, Sheinbaum strongly supports science. As mayor of Mexico City, Sheinbaum coped effectively with the Covid-19 pandemic, implementing strong social distancing and testing measures in the capital. 

 

One controversial issue Sheinbaum will be taking on is judicial reform. This was introduced by AMLO during his time as president, and recently approved by the government. Critics, however, were accusing AMLO of being “autocratic.” The Progressive magazine quotes the following sources, which employs appeals to fear:

 

A Washington Post editorial declared, “at stake are judicial independence and the rule of law.”

 

The Economist claimed, “in America’s biggest trading partner the rule of law and democracy are under attack.”

 

And U.S. ambassador to Mexico Ken Salazar made an asinine remark that the reforms would cause a “major risk to the functioning of Mexico’s democracy.”

 

In response, The Progressive asserted that, “The reforms, in particular the establishment of popular elections for judges and supreme court justices, will profoundly shake up the Mexican judiciary. However, there is little basis for alleging that they represent a threat to democracy.”

 

Further, “Whatever the drawbacks or merits of the measures, the United States–where an ultra-conservative Supreme Court has been plagued by egregious conflict of interest scandals–has no business interfering in Mexico’s domestic affairs, let alone a democratic and constitutional process of reform.”

 

Within the judicial package, there are the following reform provisions: “measures to expedite case resolution, enforce gender parity, open supreme court sessions to the public, cap judicial salaries, keep challenged laws or policies active until ruled unconstitutional, establish bodies to supervise and sanction judicial officials, and a less savory move to expand the list of crimes that warrant mandatory pretrial incarceration.”

 

For a country with a degree of democracy, the USA nevertheless is “concerned” about the “threat” to Mexico’s judicial system becoming “anti-democratic” with the implementation of the reforms, when it is USA that’s being anti-democratic with its’ potential, imperial interfering. The USA’s focus is opposing making Mexico’s judicial system democratic in itself by utilizing a popular vote. 

 

Before the reforms, the judiciary appointed federal judges and magistrates using the Federal Judiciary Council, which is an unelected part of the judicial branch. The justices are then nominated by the Mexican president. The senate then decides if the justices are approved. 

 

But under the new judicial system, justices will be elected by popular vote and serve nine-year terms. And reelection is an option. It is evident that Mexico is ahead of the USA using democratic practices for the judicial system, as opposed to the USA’s system with judges serving for life.

 

With details of her policies mentioned by Breakthrough News, Claudia Sheinbaum will no doubt implement the judicial reforms, one of many policies that continue AMLO’s legacy comprising the Fourth Transformation project. Mexico is changing for the better, with leaders like Sheinbaum determined to govern for Mexico’s interests, and not to placate to the USA’s imperial interests.