Nestor Jimenez and Alonso Urrutia
Newspaper La Jornada
Tuesday, October 18, 2022, p. eleven
The self-service stores sold the basic basket last week for up to 1,169 pesos, above the 1,390 that was agreed upon in the anti-inflationary plan, the Federal Consumer Attorney’s Office (Profeco) reported yesterday. Given this, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador asked the head of the agency talk to Walmart, Chedraui and Soriana, because they are spending
although he trusted that the companies will comply with the agreement.
As part of the weekly report of the unit in the morning conference at the National Palace, Ricardo Sheffield, its head, explained that in measuring the price of the basic basket with 24 essential items, Walmart, which was the most expensive in the central region, had the 24 products at 1,161 pesos and 90 cents
.
In the north-central zone, the most expensive option for the 24 products was Mega Soriana in Aguascalientes, with a price of 1,165.30 pesos
; meanwhile, in the north and south of the country, the highest was 1,141.40. However, there were also prices like in La Comer, in Querétaro, with 986.15 pesos, or Merco Aramberri, in the north, with 971.85 pesos.
Underlining that the plan is moving forward, López Obrador asked Sheffield talk to Walmart, Chedraui and Soriana, because they are one thousand 39 pesos for the basket and they don’t get it; rather, they go over, not screwed but they are going over
.
He endorsed his confidence in businessmen in the industry to lower prices. I believe them and I am sure that they will comply, that is, they are accommodating because they have to give instructions. I take this opportunity to tell the administrators of the Walmart, Chedraui and Soriana stores that there is a commitment that the basket does not cost more than one thousand 39 pesos
.
The President regretted that the anti-inflationary measures are accompanied by pressure from those who oppose the opening to import cheaper food from abroad, and it even came out a note that a lady in Tapachula died from eating meat imported from Panama
.
He attributed that this type of information is generated because If the market is closed, certain strong producers are protected and I am in favor of boosting national production, but what matters most to me is that there is no shortage, that the people can buy cheap protein, such as eggs, milk, beans, rice, cheap proteins and carbohydrates and vitamins
.
After defending the strategy that plans to grant import permits without much formality
for a group of companies, he criticized those who oppose the measure: So why not open? So, are we neoliberals or are we not neoliberals? Or are we neoliberals on the compadre’s oxen or when it suits us?
He commented that despite the fact that Mexico has lower inflation than the United States and Europe in the energy sector, the inflation rate remains high due to the cost of food in the country.
