Reform
The bloc of the ruling National Regeneration Movement (Morena) and its allies approved this Monday a reform to the Mining Law that nationalizes lithium less than 24 hours after the failure of the controversial constitutional reform of the energy sector promoted by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
The initiative on lithium, also proposed by López Obrador, declares the exploration, exploitation and use of lithium to be of public utility. In addition, it seeks that there are no concessions or contracts for the exploitation of lithium and that this is the sole responsibility of the State, which will create a decentralized body for this purpose.
Under a climate of revenge, the deputies of Morena and the Labor Party (PT) and Green Ecologist of Mexico (PVEM) sought to correct the setback on Sunday with the electrical reform. To this end, and barely being able to evaluate the reform proposal, they acted as a block and added -along with the support of legislators from the Citizen Movement- 298 votes for approval in general.
“With 298 votes in favor, zero against and 197 abstentions, the initiative sent by the head of the Federal Executive this Sunday, April 17, was endorsed, to which the procedures were dispensed,” the Chamber of Deputies reported in a statement.
The opposition bloc of the “Va por México” alliance – made up of the National Action (PAN), Institutional Revolutionary (PRI) and Democratic Revolution (PRD) parties – initially asked to suspend the session and, failing to do so, they abstained from voting, leaving the plenary session.
-With information from Juan Manuel Ramírez G., from EFE.
