Politics: Sheinbaum concentrates decision making in a strong, all-powerful presidency
While President Claudia Sheinbaum has succeeded in rallying broad support in response to Donald Trump’s threats on tariffs, migration, and national sovereignty, the fact remains that her policies and orientation represent a continuity with AMLO’s unipersonal style of governing. Her decisions, in practice, indicate little or no interest in listening to others, much less incorporating their criticisms. The result is a series of political decisions and actions that have caused and are causing considerable damage. This concern has been reflected in the recently approved National Workers’ Housing Fund Institute (Infonavit) Law, in which what had been a tripartite agency—government, labor and business—is now firmly under the thumb of the government. This follows on the heels of other policies, which while varied, reflect official intolerance and a desire to concentrate decision making in the hands of a strong presidency, with the majority party in Congress subordinate to presidential power orientation.
Many ill-conceived key policies were initiated under AMLO but have been backed and implemented by Sheinbaum. These include the new Felipe Angeles International Airport and the cancellation of the Texcoco airport; the construction of the Dos Bocas oil refinery in the United States; the Maya Train project; and “resuscitating” Pemex. In all cases the price tag has been huge, much greater than initially anticipated, and the results meager at best. On the political front, there have been the policies to eliminate the autonomy of the regulatory agencies in strategic fields such as economic competition, telecommunications, and energy.
Perhaps the most emblematic and important policy move in term of its broad and long-term implications has been the Judicial Reform. While promoted as a bold exercise in direct democracy, the election of judges, justices, and magistrates will effectively eliminate the autonomy of the judicial branch, paralyze the courts, and negatively impact the rule of law and along with it, investor confidence.
The conclusion to all this is that Mexico is experiencing a democratic regression, with an authoritarian trend in the presidency unencumbered by legal or political restraints. There is a considerable risk that the resulting erroneous policies will have severe consequences in terms of public finances and the country’s development.
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