“It was a friendly, respectful conversation. We made it clear that we are in favor of clean energy and against dirty business and we are going to convince and persuade that it is in everyone’s interest not to destroy the CFE,” López Obrador said in his morning conference.
Critics of this reform, in addition to warning that it could contravene the Treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada or TMEC, denounce that it is committed to the generation of dirty energy.
“The treaty is not affected at all, the TMEC has nothing to do with corruption and that was what we told Kerry. We are going to comply and we want to always have a good relationship with the United States; we are not going to fight with the United States government but we do not accept corruption,” he said.
Morena, López Obrador’s party, and its allies have a majority in the bicameral Congress, but as it is a constitutional reform it requires two-thirds of the votes for its approval, for which they would have to negotiate with opposition sectors.
The president’s initiative reserves at least 54% of electricity production for the state-owned CFE, compared to the current 38% and the 62% that is in the hands of the private sector.
“There is controversy because we believe that preference was given to private companies, especially foreign ones, and it is unfair that they receive subsidies with public money so that they obtain cheap energy while consumers have to pay more,” he explained.
In a brief message to the media at the Mexican Foreign Ministry, Kerry said he was respectful of Mexico’s sovereignty and advocated an open and competitive electricity market.
After Kerry’s visit, both countries agreed to set up a “High-Level Group on Renewable Energies and Climate Change,” reported the Mexican Foreign Ministry.
