The President loses sleep over the debate
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto lost sleep over the first presidential debate but don't misunderstand, we're told it was because of the change in time zone as the Head of State is currently in Europe for business and he barely got a few hours of sleep. Peña Nieto's inner circle detailed that the President woke at 2:30 hours after concluding his activities the previous day a little past 23:30 on Sunday, and that he followed the debate online in the company of his wife, Angélica Rivera, Chancellor Luis Videgaray , his personal assistant Jorge Corona, the coordinator of his advisors, Carlos Pérez-Verdía, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. We're told that Peña Nieto paid close attention to the debate, that there was laughter during the interventions of “El Bronco” and gravity during the interventions and attacks of Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Ricardo Anaya against José Antonio Meade . Who did the president thought won the debate?
The awkward former PRI member of AMLO
We're told that, yesterday, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) had an altercation during the rally he led in Valle de Chalco. Obrador was joined by Luis Enrique Martínez Ventura , former member of the center-right Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and a man who is currently running for federal deputy. It seems Mr. Luis Enrique was booed by the over 6,000 sympathizers gathered at the Luis Donaldo Colosio sports center. Mr. Andrés Manuel tried to contain the jeers but the reputation of the also former Mayor of Valle de Chalco is so bad that he couldn't calm the audience. It seems Mr. Andrés is paying quite the price for getting certain characters aboard his campaign – who might cost him the comfortable advantage he currently has over his competitors.
Deputies respect traditions
The Political Coordination Board of the Lower Chamber, led by members of the conservative National Action Party (PAN) Marko Cortés , has agreed to conclude the sessions of the last ordinary period of the 63rd Legislature next April 30. And in keeping with the tradition, they will leave all pending matters to be resolved during the last sessions to be held this Tuesday and Thursday, which look like will take them all day, considering the number of pending items in the list. On Wednesday, our sources say, they will call the commissions to assess how many resolutions they will be able to take to the plenary session on Thursday and Monday, since there are several pending resolutions and 20 minutes of the Senate. Among these pending items are the Absence and Organ Donation Statement, among others. The idea is to conclude everything because the next ordinary meeting period begins in September 1 but under a new array of political forces in Congress.
The Court and NAFTA
As part of the negotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA ) , Mexico's Supreme Court of Justice, according to our sources, played a decisive role. We're told that during the closure of the Telecommunications chapter, during the meeting of the Ministers of Trade and Foreign Affairs, the importance of the decisions made by the Constitutional Court regarding the zero tariff were pointed out, as the Court established that tariffs can only be fixed by the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFETEL) and not the Congress. They ensure this decision was a key element for Mexico as it provides legal certainty and safety. We're told that, without giving names, it was said that “in the legal environment it is quite clear which minister was in charge of drafting this resolution.”
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