AMLO presenta su segundo informe de gobierno / The COVID crisis, corruption and the drop in crime, the themes of the Second AMLO Report

El presidente mexicano afirmó que su Gobierno ha ahorrado MXN 560 mil millones por sus políticas de austeridad, al tiempo que ha apoyado con programas sociales a 23 millones de personas.

Andrés Manuel López Obrador, presidente de México, presentó este martes el segundo informe de Gobierno durante su mandato, en el que se refirió a la crisis causada por la pandemia del coronavirus (COVID-19) en su país.

López Obrador aseguró que durante la reciente crisis sanitaria, el Gobierno ha adaptado 969 hospitales para la atención de pacientes con COVID-19, donde se encuentran 10.612 camas con ventiladores. Indicó, además, que fueron capacitados más de 47 mil trabajadores de la salud.

“Enfrentamos dos crisis, la sanitaria y la económica y vamos saliendo adelante. La pandemia no es asunto político sino de salud pública”, aseveró López Obrador durante su rendición de cuentas.

El mandatario resaltó que durante su Gobierno se aprobó una iniciativa para que los medicamentos y vacunas tengan carácter no lucrativo en México y celebró el acuerdo alcanzado para la producción de la vacuna contra la COVID-19 del laboratorio británico AstraZeneca, junto con Argentina y el apoyo de la fundación Carlos Slim.

“Esperamos que la vacuna dé resultados desde noviembre y que podamos empezar a aplicarla a más tardar a principios de 2021”, sostuvo el presidente, que le recomendó a la población que se alimente bien para fortalecer su sistema inmune, bajar de peso y tener menos afectaciones por cuenta del coronavirus.

Al hablar de la situación económica de su país en medio de la pandemia, López Obrador aseveró que el Gobierno ha podido ahorrar MXN 560 mil millones (cerca de USD 26 mil millones) por “hacer un Gobierno austero y no permitir la corrupción”.

López Obrador afirmó que, ante los efectos económicos de la pandemia, el Gobierno ayudó por medio de programas sociales a 23 millones de familias.

“Ayudamos al 100% de las comunidades indígenas y los más pobres con al menos uno de nuestros programas sociales”, indicó el mandatario.

El presidente rindió cuentas con su país convertido en el cuarto con más decesos del mundo a causa de la pandemia, al registrar 64.414 muertes, y en medio de la pérdida de cerca de 1 millón de empleos debido a los efectos de la enfermedad.

The COVID crisis, corruption and the drop in crime, the themes of the Second AMLO Report

The fight against corruption, its main cause, and the attention to the COVID-19 pandemic that has already left more than 62 thousand dead and an economic crisis in the country, were the issues with which President Andrés Manuel López Obrador began his Second Government Report.

He assured that his government will not be remembered for being corrupt, since his main legacy will be to have eradicated it: “In these times to transform is to moralize,” he said from the courtyard of the National Palace before less than 100 spectators.

López Obrador stressed that his government is not going for political revenge but clarified that “we do not cover up for anyone or allow impunity. The robbery of those above is over, but official banditry remains to be banished.”

He highlighted the austerity of his government, thanks to which 560 billion pesos have been saved, resources needed to face two crises: health and economic.

Although it has left thousands of deaths, “pain, sadness and hardship,” he said, the COVID pandemic will leave a better healthcare system. He highlighted that 969 hospitals have been converted to care for COVID patients, 32,203 beds installed and 10,612 with ventilators, 47 thousand general practitioners, specialists and nurses have been hired.

Direct help, not rescue
The president stressed that his government has invested 115 million pesos for social programs that have directly benefited 9 million people.

“They have reproached us for not rescuing the elite but I am proud to say that we helped 23 million families,” he said, adding that social programs “are not an expense but an investment, they are not gifts, they are justice.”

He said that while other nations resorted to credit and increased their public debts, Mexico will emerge from the crisis without contracting additional debt and “without allocating public money to immoral ‘rescues’ for those who do not need to be rescued.”

Despite this, he said, the relationship with businessmen has been good and respectful. He gave as an example that most companies did not lay off their workers and just 1 million jobs were lost in the most difficult moments of the crisis.

“Social programs have made it possible to preserve purchasing power and consumption capacity, which is why the market has not been closed to companies and businesses,” he highlighted.

He stressed that thanks to the increase in remittances – which he expects to reach 40 billion dollars by the end of this year – added to social programs and credits for small businesses, “the pandemic has not led to famine or food shortages, nor to assaults and the people have resources for their basic consumption.”

“I said that the crisis due to the pandemic would be transitory, it would be like a ‘v’ we would fall but we would leave soon, the worst is over and now we are going up,” AMLO said.