Social media users are sharing a recording that shows Environment Minister Víctor Manuel Toledo criticizing the federal government. Toledo is heard saying President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration “doesn’t have a clear goal, it’s full contradictions, and there is a struggle for power inside the cabinet,” he added that the cabinet and the president’s interest are not the same of the Semarnat.
Víctor Manuel Toledo took office 10 months ago. He took over the Semarnat after Josefa González Blanco resigned amid a scandal. The press revealed Josefa González delayed a flight a few hours because she arrived late at the airport.
In the viral recoding, Toledo said there are conflicts between the Environment and Natural Resources Ministry (Semarnat) and the Agriculture of Rural Development Ministry (Sader), led by Víctor Villalobos. According to the environmentalist, the Semarnat is focusing on agroecology , while de Seder is moving towards agribusinesses . He said: “they try to impose the vision that prevails in the world of large corporations.”
The environmental activist made some interesting remarks regarding Alfonso Romo, López Obrador’s chief of staff. Romo allegedly has the power to block any project linked to the environment, such as clean energy and agroecology projects.
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Víctor Manuel Toledo also revealed he had conflicts with Víctor Villalobos regarding glyphosate; then when federal authorities called on him to approve a farming project with the U.S., as authorities were trying to push for the purchase of properties in Tabasco to build a dairy project that followed the agribusiness model; thirdly, he explained the Interior Minister organized a meeting to convince five ministries to approve a beer factory.
In the case of a mining company, Alfonso Romo organized a meeting with the owner of Grupo México to try and convince Toledo to be more accessible.
Genetically modified cotton was also an issue between the Semarnat and Sader.
Minister Toledo also said President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s government is not on the side of the Semarnat and the efforts made to protect the environment . The minister added the federal government should have a plan B and take advantage of the global crisis to work in favor of the environment.
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Insiders confirm the recording is authentic. The Semarnat didn’t respond to a request for comment.
Sources close to President López Obrador said Víctor Manuel Toledo informed the president about his resignation last night; however, it is unknown if López Obrador accepted it.
The latest government official to reign was Communications and Transportation Minister Javier Jiménez Espriú.
All the government officials who have resigned
Since López Obrador took office 19 months ago, 12 cabinet members have left his administration.
Javier Jiménez Espriú stepped down from the Communications and Transportation Ministry a few weeks ago. On June 19, Asa Cristina Laurell stepped down from the Integration and Development of the Health System (SIDSS).
Mara Gómez Pérez left the Executive Commission for Victims on June 24. Candelaria Ochoa stepped down as the head of the National Commission to Prevent and Eradicate Violence Against Women (Conavim) on June 30.
Mónica Maccise Duayhe quit her position as the head of the National Commission for the Prevention of Discrimination (Conapred) on June 19.
Finance Minister left the federal government on July 9, 2019. Josefa González-Blanco Ortiz-Mena seeped down as the Environment and Natural Resources Minister on May 25, 2019.
Germán Martínez quit his role at the IMSS in May 2019. Tonatiuh Guillén López resigned as the head of the National Migration Institute in June 2019.
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