“A lot of arrogance” to reduce an election to processing: Xóchitl Gálvez

Mexico City. Reducing the elections to a mere procedure, “is either a lie or a display of arrogance,” responded Xóchitl Gálvez, candidate of the Fuerza y ​​Corazón por México coalition (PAN, PRI and PRD), a day after her opponent and leader In most of the surveys, Claudia Sheinbaum considered that in the final stretch of the campaigns only “the process is missing on June 2.”

Sheinbaum “says that democracy is a procedure because it gets in the way (…) it takes a lot of arrogance to reduce an election in which 100 million people can go out to vote to a mere procedure,” said Gálvez without asking a question, during his participation. at the National Meeting of Regional Directors 2024, of BBVA.

“This election will decide the kind of country we will be in the next 30 years, it will define whether we move forward towards a freer and more modern economy and society; or if we return to a past with a government that sees private initiative and banking as an adversary,” said Gálvez Ruiz.

The day before, at the same event and after the interviewer asked her if “has the rice been cooked yet in electoral matters?”, Claudia Sheinbaum, candidate of the Let’s Keep Making History coalition (Morena, PT and PVEM), said that “ the procedure is missing on June 2”, assuming that the advantage given by the polls will be reflected in the elections.

“Name, they were burned. And mine is fluffing and it’s going to arrive at its point. We will win. Don’t have any doubt. The hidden vote is with us, not with them,” Gálvez responded to the same question. “Pride is a sin that is paid for in life,” he preached.

During her presentation in front of the regional councilors, Gálvez was received by long applause and was also interrupted on several occasions by clapping from the audience; She even concluded her presentation with standing ovations. In a participation that veered between attacks on Sheinbaum and his proposals, she said that her vision is based on having a “middle-class Mexico.”

With a view to that objective, Gálvez promised to eradicate extreme poverty. He did not specify how, but he did emphasize that social programs will be maintained, while “well-paid” employment will be strengthened.

Pemex under the magnifying glass

When questioned about the fiscal deficit projections for this year, of 5.9 percent, and a reduction practically in half by 2025, Gálvez reduced it to the finances of Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex); She added that stopping losses due to theft of gasoline and gas will allow her to finance her promise to eliminate the payment of income tax for those who earn less than 15 thousand pesos per month.

“The deficit we already have this year is worrying and we cannot continue allowing it; There is talk of reducing it, but there is no talk of what is causing this deficit. Of course I am determined to review what is happening at Pemex,” she proclaimed, while, she said, it needs to rethink its business model.

The theft of gas from Pemex pipelines amounts to 30 billion pesos and the evasion of imported gasoline that is made for other lubricants reaches 700 billion pesos. “I am going to commit to fighting corruption head-on and cleaning up the oil company,” he commented.

When asked if she plans to carry out a tax reform, the candidate of the PAN, PRI and PRD said that “in the first stage, no.” At the beginning, the government will seek to spend well, not on “pharaonic works”; She added that she will seek to reverse the Welfare Pension Fund, which guarantees a 100 percent replacement rate for those who retire.