The Senate creates a commission to review the bankruptcy process of Altos Hornos

Georgina Saldierna

La Jornada Newspaper
Monday, December 23, 2024, p. 6

The Senate put into operation a special commission that will review and monitor the bankruptcy process of Altos Hornos de México (AHMSA). Among its objectives is to ensure that the company’s workers obtain the settlement to which they are entitled, and the payment of the debt it owes to Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) and others is made. creditors.

In order to have elements that allow it to define its actions, the commission, chaired by Morenista Luis Fernando Salazar, began to request information from the agencies and entities involved in the issue.

But, to begin with, the members of this body highlighted that the bankruptcy of AHMSA has left a great impact on Coahuila, since thousands of direct jobs were lost and the value and service chain that depended on the steel company also faces a deep crisis.

Salazar recalled that Altos Hornos de México was born in 1942 as a key driver for the economic and industrial development of the aforementioned entity and the country. Over three decades it consolidated itself as the most important steel company in Mexico and one of the largest in Latin America.

But starting in the 90s it faced serious economic difficulties and in 1991 it was privatized.

Under the direction of Alonso Ancira, she was involved in financial frauds such as that of the agronitrogen plant.

The legislator denounced that There have been 80 weeks in which workers have not received a single peso, which has resulted in even an impact on the social fabric, since 40 have died. former employees, 11 of them by suicide.

The PRI senator and former governor of Coahuila, Miguel Ángel Riquelme, said that the loss of AHMSA has been serious for the state, and although its economy has diversified and railroad cars and trailers are already produced for export, it will replace the steel company. It will be complicated in the next 15 years.

Morenoist Laura Itzel Castillo explained that the bankruptcy forced nearly 3,000 workers to emigrate to other municipalities and states, and even to the United States.

The unpaid fees to the IMSS and Infonavit have generated a lack of services, a reduction in the retirement amount and accumulated interest on mortgage loans.

The emecista Luis Donaldo Colosio maintained that this commission will be responsible for auditing the bankruptcy process and turn it into a glass box, so that transparency and adherence to the law govern this entire procedure, in order to do justice to the workers who gave their lives to the company.