Women, at the center of Sheinbaum’s 100 commitments

Alma Muñoz and Emir Olivares

La Jornada Newspaper
Wednesday, October 2, 2024, p. 8

“I will give my knowledge, my soul, my life and the best of myself for the well-being of the people of Mexico (…) I will not fail them,” President Claudia Sheimbaum promised in her first message in the capital’s Zócalo, where she put vindication of women’s rights as one of the pillars of government.

The plank was insufficient to accommodate all the citizens who wanted to witness the historic event, outside the official protocol in Congress, to see the first female President in the history of the country, who, he stressed, will combat machismo.

Surrounded by women from indigenous and Afro-Mexican peoples, who gave her the baton of command, with which they recognized her as the new leader of the nation, Sheinbaum outlined the projects and actions that she will promote to consolidate what she has called the second floor of the Fourth Transformation and having the figure of Andrés Manuel López Obrador as a guide to his speech.

There in your house, comrade Andrés Manuel, you are always in the heart of the people of Mexico. The second floor It means maintaining our principles, our causes, those that gave rise to our movement. We are going to govern with the principles of the Fourth Transformationhe sentenced.

Before the joy of thousands who packed the country’s main public square, the federal president offered to continue making history, consolidating what was started by her predecessor and applying new actions, reforms and programs aimed at the well-being of the people.

Special emphasis was placed on the Ayotzinapa case, perhaps the greatest pending of the last two governments. We will continue working with the families to achieve truth and justice for all the missing young people of Ayotzinapa.

He highlighted that the National Guard will be consolidated with its transfer to the Secretariat of National Defense.

Those who criticize that this is militarization: it is false, in our country there is no state of exception, there are no violations of human rights. What there is now with the Fourth Transformation is more democracy, more freedoms and a true rule of law that we are going to build with the change in the Supreme Court and the Judiciary.

Furthermore, he stressed, The supreme commander of the armed forces is a civilian, she is a woman, and we will never give an order to repress the people.

He pledged to reduce high-impact crime as part of the security strategy, which he will present next week.

“The irresponsible war against the narco of (Felipe) Calderón who did so much damage to this country,” he emphasized.

In his speech, Sheinbaum stated that the 4T is the only option that represents well-being and progress with justice.

Baton

After 4 in the afternoon the President left the National Palace hand in hand with her husband Jesús María Tarriba, to receive the baton of command from women from indigenous communities.

He wielded and raised this insignia, a symbol of the political and spiritual power of the indigenous and Afro-Mexican peoples. In that sense, he highlighted that with the recently approved reform to recognize the rights of these sectors, the historical debt with them begins to be settled.

After the ceremony, he outlined one by one the hundred commitments of his government that include economic, social, security and political areas.

He will maintain guidelines and principles from his predecessor. He will live in the National Palace – although last night he slept at his house in Tlalpan –, he will continue with the morning sessions – starting today –, he will govern with republican austerity and honesty, and he will not return, he stressed, to the neoliberal model.

In addition, it will combat corruption, support the popular economy, maintain its rejection of transgenic corn, consolidate the IMSS-Bienestar and, among others, respect the autonomy of the Bank of Mexico and will not allow tax forgiveness or tax evasion.

He emphasized that he will continue the Welfare programs started by López Obrador, to which he will add his own schemes.

He mentioned support for women between 60 and 64 years of age and indigenous artisans, universal scholarships for basic education students and the Salud en tu Casa program. In January, the hiring of 20 thousand doctors and nurses will begin to launch it.

It will strengthen upper secondary education, consolidate Benito Juárez universities and the Rosario Castellanos and Health universities, which began in Mexico City, will be national.

Government close to the people

He pledged his word to lead a government close to the people, which is why he will tour on weekends, like López Obrador did. We have a good teacher, I am going to continue touring the country.

Likewise, he said that foreign policy will follow the principles of free self-determination of peoples, non-intervention and the peaceful resolution of disputes; and will always defend the greatness of Mexico, without subordinating itself to other governments.

Andrés Manuel returned dignity to our people and no one could ever take it away from them.he signed.

He welcomed private investment and announced that this month he will form the Council for National Development and Relocation with various chambers and business sectors, for the creation of new welfare centers and 100 new industrial parks.

In the case of the reforms, he praised the approval of the judiciary and anticipated that, in a few days, the Senate will issue the call for the election of ministers, judges and magistrates to be in June 2025.

At the time, he said, he will promote the reform of the electoral system to strengthen participatory democracy and in 2027 he will undergo revocation of his mandate, as established by the Constitution.

In addition, he will send a constitutional reform initiative to recover the democratic principle of non-reelection. We will promote the prohibition of succeeding a direct family member in elected positions. No to nepotism.

Tomorrow he will send to Congress a package of reforms, some constitutional, to achieve substantive equality for women, the right to a life free of all violence, eliminate the wage gap, homologation of the criminal offense of feminicide in all states, access to health, among others.

He affirmed that in his government the increase in the minimum wage will reach 2.5 basic baskets and that the 40-hour work week will be gradually implemented during the six-year term.

He gave his commitment to rescue the miners of Pasta de Conchos and El Pinabete, as well as to recover sources of work for the employees of Altos Hornos de México.

He ratified his rejection of transgenic corn, he will promote self-sufficiency in basic grains and reiterated that Segalmex will merge with Diconsa to become Alimentación para el Bienestar.

The president will continue to strengthen Pemex and the CFE, as well as energy sovereignty.

It will continue with the recovery and expansion of passenger trains. This Sunday, the Mexico-Pachuca train will kick off. In addition, it will modernize more roads and build more rural and artisanal roads.

He asked for applause for the military and marine engineers who will continue to help in these projects.

In front of the president of Guatemala, Bernardo Arévalo, he offered to promote the Interoceanic Train to reach that neighboring nation.

Sheinbaum asserted that new airports will be built and Mexicana de Aviación will be strengthened.

He announced that on the land where Calderón intended to build a refinery in Tula, Hidalgo, he will promote a project to clean up that municipality, which is one of the most contaminated, in addition to a priority being access to water.