Popular Mexican president gives first state of the union, but some remain unimpressed
Record ID:
1429518
Popular Mexican president gives first state of the union, but some remain unimpressed
- Title: Popular Mexican president gives first state of the union, but some remain unimpressed
- Date: 1st September 2019
- Summary: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO (SEPTEMBER 1, 2019) (REUTERS) MEXICAN PRESIDENT, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR, ON STAGE AT HIS FIRST STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS AUDIENCE APPLAUDING VARIOUS, LOPEZ OBRADOR ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN PRESIDENT, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR, SAYING: "We have sought for the bilateral relationship with the United States to be conducted with a base in mutual respect." MILITARY OFFICIALS AT SPEECH (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN PRESIDENT, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR, SAYING: "(We have avoided) the threat of imposed tariffs and a potential economic and political crisis by means of a migration deal that requires us to be more strict in the application of law in this area - without violating human rights." PERSON RECORDING SPEECH ON ELECTRONIC TABLET (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN PRESIDENT, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR, SAYING: "The crisis in Mexico originated in the failure of the neo-liberal economic model applied over the past 36 years. And, also due to the predominance during that period of the foulest public and private corruption." PEOPLE IN AUDIENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN PRESIDENT, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR, SAYING: "We still suffer from insecurity and violence, (which) I believe is due to the poor strategy that was applied from the start." AUDIENCE LISTENING TO SPEECH (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN PRESIDENT, ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR, SAYING: "I respectfully urge the legislature to eliminate the legal hurdles to be able to apply the method of public consultation (referendums) and to cancel the immunity of public servants beginning with the immunity of the president." PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING (Spanish) "AMLO (LOPEZ OBRADOR'S INITIALS) STEP DOWN" PROTESTERS MARCHING, CHANTING PROTESTERS CHANTING (Spanish) "PRESIDENT, DICTATOR" SIGN AT PROTEST READING (Spanish) "ENOUGH ANDRES - RESPECT THE FREEDOM OF THE PRESS - ENOUGH TO MURDERS OF JOURNALISTS" VARIOUS, PROTESTERS MARCHING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) 65-YEAR-OLD MEXICAN RETIREE, ALEJANDRO CHAVARRIA, SAYING: "Unfortunately the prior (presidents) have also been bad, but he (Lopez Obrador) has been the worst due to all the lies he tells. The path he's taking us down is towards another Venezuela. That is what upsets me most. [JOURNALIST ASKS WHY HE THINKS SO] Well, if you look at the steps that Venezuela took, that is what we're doing, and the damage he is doing to Mexican families." VARIOUS, PEOPLE CARRYING SIGNS, MARCHING AT PROTEST (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) 68-YEAR-OLD MEXICAN RETIREE, HERLINDA ARCE, SAYING: "I don't think you can compare him (to other presidents). The others were thieves of another sort, yes, very corrupt. But, this (president) wants stick it to us, so aside from corruption, because he's not a saint, he's doing things that aren't beneficial to anyone." VARIOUS, PEOPLE CARRYING SIGNS, MARCHING AT PROTEST PEOPLE CARRYING BANNER READING (Spanish) "NO TO AUTHORITARIANISM"
- Embargoed: 15th September 2019 21:52
- Keywords: opposition new state of the union Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speech address problems crime Mexico protest
- Location: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- City: MEXICO CITY, MEXICO
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001AUTTZ5Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador gave his first state of the union address on Sunday (September 1) with the economy flirting with recession, murders reaching record levels - and his popularity riding high.
After taking office in December vowing to revive a sluggish economy and bring down violence, the veteran leftist Lopez Obrador has so far fallen short of the goals he set himself.
Mexico had to contend with the risk of economic disruption from abroad when U.S. President Donald Trump in May threatened to slap tariffs on all Mexican goods if the country did not curb U.S.-bound migration from Central America.
Lopez Obrador responded by sending thousands of National Guardsmen to Mexico's borders and has accepted thousands of asylum seekers while they await court hearings in the United States.
Lopez Obrador insists he wants no dispute with the United States and the episode has done little to dent his popularity.
Crime, however, remains a major issue in Mexico. During the first eight months of Lopez Obrador's administration, 19,642 murder investigations were opened, up more than 4% from the same period a year earlier, according to official data.
An Aug. 20-24 survey of 1,000 Mexicans for newspaper El Universal showed Lopez Obrador had the support of 69% of respondents, slightly up on the results of a June poll.
But, not everyone is impressed: the survey showed that more than 54% of respondents believed the president was not coping with Mexico's problems. Only 38% took the opposite view.
Some of that displeasure was evident in Mexico City on Sunday when hundreds of people took to the city's iconic Reforma Avenue to protest Lopez Obrador and his policies.
Protesters told Reuters that while they do not view Lopez Obrador as corrupt as previous presidents, they oppose his economic policies and "lies."
(Production: Josue Gonzalez, Roberto Ramirez, Manuel Carrillo) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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