Mexico’s State Of The Union: Bonds With U.S. Solid; Remittances And Murder Rates Up

By Rodrigo Cervantes
Published: Tuesday, September 1, 2020 - 2:34pm
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Gobierno de México
Andrés Manuel López Obrador

MEXICO CITY — In a small and private event, Mexico’s president delivered his second State of the Union address. Among some issues that the president addressed was the relationship between his country and the United States. 

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador boasted about his government’s strategy to face the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as about his administration's signature projects, like the construction of a tourist train. 

The president said almost every kind of crime in Mexico has dropped since he took office in late 2018. He admitted an increase in murders and extortion, blaming organized crime for their rise.

But public and private data indicate that other crimes are going up this year. Femicides went up almost 8%, and car retailers estimate a 20% increase of vehicle theft. 

López Obrador highlighted his July trip to meet President Trump in Washington to build closer ties and sign a new trade agreement. He also applauded the growth of remittances coming from Mexican expatriates, despite the pandemic.

CoronavirusPoliticsFronterasMexico Sonora