The Internal Obstacles of the Counter-Reformation

Legislative times are approaching to discuss the federal government’s energy counter-reform.

The original plan was to give it a fast track from that October 1 of last year when the presentation of the initiative for constitutional modifications on energy issues was formalized.

The lack of a qualified majority submissive to any order from President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the importance of a tweet from the United States ambassador to Mexico, Ken Salazar, about his country’s serious concerns about the content of the counter-reform, delayed those plans. not to change a single comma before the end of last year.

But it is a fact that taking the country back 50 years in energy matters is a priority of the 4T and they are going for it in the next regular session that begins on February 1.

However, in this time that has passed, more obstacles have been added to the presidential counter-reform. From the clearest, most open and formal accusations of the United States government and others affected, to the internal disputes in the political movement that governs.

In practice, and without a counter-reform, private companies in the energy sector have already been affected and this has generated complaints and legal proceedings. But the most forceful claims would have to be made once the constitutional changes that the 4T seeks are approved.

As for the internal lawsuits, the succession so advanced that López Obrador himself began is now an obstacle in his plans for total obedience from the legislators of Morena and satellite parties that accompany him.

The distance that now separates the President from the coordinator of Morena’s senators, Ricardo Monreal, may be a factor at least of difficulty for his plans to spoil the energy sector.

There is a character who is key to the lack of understanding between President López Obrador and Senator Monreal and that is the Governor of Veracruz, Cuitláhuac García.

It is already incomprehensible how such a character can be at the head of a state as important as Veracruz, but it is more difficult to understand that presidential protective mantle in the face of the excesses of García who, among many other blunders, put the secretary in jail technician of the Political Coordination Board of the Senate, José Manuel del Río Virgen, with a case that seems to have been set up for political purposes.

The political clumsiness of the Veracruz native goes beyond the local level when they obtain the shelter of the National Palace and then make it one more stumbling block between López Obrador and Monreal.

Morena, the official party, has redoubled its propaganda with increasingly aggressive and lying messages, to try to win the battle between public opinion. But the legislative debate today is less guaranteed for the purposes of the energy counter-reform.

Monreal drew a line with the radicals, at least in his speech, and there is no doubt that this counter-reform is in that field of destructive radicalism.

Even if the plans of some within the government circle to remove Ricardo Monreal from the leadership of the Morena senators prosper, even so, the presidential order to approve his constitutional initiative could run into unexpected votes against.

ecampos@eleconomista.mx