Latam September 8, 2021 MEXICO: Prospects for AMLO’s three constitutional reform priorities Mexico, Politics Nicholas Watson Three constitutional reforms that President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) wants to advance over the next 18 months face an uphill struggle. The congressional landscape is more complex following the June mid-terms, though AMLO is likely to probe the main... Read More...
Latam July 15, 2021 MEXICO: Referendum on ex-presidents is more show than substance Mexico, Politics Nicholas Watson On 1 August, there will be a public referendum to decide whether to investigate ex-presidents for corruption and other wrongdoing. Officially, voters will be asked whether they agree that there should be action to “clarify” decisions by “political actors”... Read More...
Latam May 13, 2021 MEXICO: Rattled AMLO intensifies electoral attacks Emerging Markets, Mexico, Politics AMLO Nicholas Watson With just three and a half weeks to go before the 6 June “mega-elections,” which involve the lower house mid-term vote, 15 state gubernatorial elections, and a host of state assembly and municipal ballots, the campaign is heating up.... Read More...
Latam June 3, 2021 MEXICO: AMLO course change unlikely even if Morena loses ground in mid-terms Emerging Markets, Mexico, Politics AMLO Nicholas Watson Elections for the lower house of Congress take place on 6 June alongside 15 state gubernatorial elections and a host of state assembly and municipal ballots. The campaign has been marked by the ongoing pandemic and vaccination campaign; President... Read More...
Latam March 30, 2021 MEXICO: New setback for energy sector Emerging Markets, Mexico, Politics AMLO Nicholas Watson A reform of the Hydrocarbons Law unveiled late last week marks the latest step in President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO)’s rollback of the 2013-14 energy reform. The bill presented to the lower house on... Read More...
Latam March 18, 2021 MEXICO: Energy nationalism and salvo against mining add to investor concerns Emerging Markets, Mexico, Politics Nicholas Watson This week was always likely to see some anti-business rhetoric or gesture from President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) given that today, 18 March, is the anniversary of the 1938 nationalization of the oil sector.... Read More...
Latam January 21, 2021 MEXICO: Unpredictable AMLO to complicate bilateral relations with US Emerging Markets, Mexico, Politics AMLO Nicholas Watson It is difficult not to see various recent moves by President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) as deliberately provocative to the new US administration. AMLO’s contrarian attitude is largely due to his drive to acquire leverage ahead of what... Read More...
Latam January 13, 2021 MEXICO: A challenge to electoral governance ahead of June ballot Mexico, Politics Nicholas Watson This week has seen another instalment of the long-running feud between President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) and the National Electoral Institute (INE), which organizes federal elections and audits parties’ finances, and its head Lorenzo... Read More...
Latam February 3, 2021 MEXICO: Confrontation brewing over rehabilitation of state utility’s monopoly Mexico, Politics editorial Nicholas Watson Proposed changes to the 2013 Electricity Industry Law (LIE) represent another lurch towards energy nationalism. A bill sent to the lower house of Congress on 1 February proposes altering grid dispatch rules to benefit the state-run CFE electricity utility;... Read More...
Latam January 5, 2021 MEXICO: Early steps on vaccination belie challenges to come Mexico, Politics editorial Nicholas Watson The government is touting its achievement as the first Latin American country to begin vaccinating its population against Covid-19; the first vaccinations of frontline medical personnel started on 24 December using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. The government has also signed... Read More...
