Introduction
During his presidency, Andrés Manuel López Obrador made several poor decisions that are expected to burden Mexico for decades. Among these, the worst were those taken on a whim of authoritarian caprice or to benefit his inner circle.
Impact on Agriculture
This week, thousands of Mexicans faced consequences on the roads due to López Obrador’s poor decisions in the agricultural sector. The intention to create political clientelage dependent on government handouts led to the cancellation of many productive farming programs, such as income target assistance through contract agriculture. These were replaced with failed welfare-oriented support programs.
Pemex’s Struggles
Pemex, Mexico’s state-owned oil company, continues to survive with government bailouts and significant losses. López Obrador abandoned profitability goals in favor of his statist self-sufficiency idea.
López Obrador’s Questionable Decisions
Among all the blunders attributed to López Obrador, the most problematic are those driven by his incomprehensible whims. Examples include The Mayan Train, the Megapharmacy, the presidential plane raffle, and his initial decision to cancel the Texcoco International Airport.
The Texcoco Airport Cancellation
Correctly labeled as the “October 2018 error,” López Obrador canceled the most significant aeroportuary project in Latin America, intended to provide Mexico with an international-standard hub. The reason for this whim was quickly revealed when López Obrador showcased designs for his preferred contractor, José María Riobóo, who was sidelined from the Texcoco project.
Building a regional airport instead of a world-class hub, situating it far from its client base, neglecting to develop necessary ground communication infrastructure, and canceling a project already 40% complete were all authoritarian whims of a man hidden behind his political charisma.
The result was evidently a failure costing 460,000 million pesos, according to López Obrador’s first finance secretary. It forced airlines to relocate operations to what he called the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), causing further financial strain for cargo companies.
Ongoing Consequences
Mexico continues to face negative repercussions from these missteps. The recent cancellation of Mexican airline routes to the US by the Department of Transportation directly relates to the security crisis and disorder caused by these measures, including López Obrador’s capricious decree forcing cargo companies to AIFA.
The list of consequences extends further: the hugs-not-bullets strategy, the elimination of science and technology trusts, the disappearance of powers and autonomies, and the loss of Seguro Popular for Mexicans. The crisis is structural.
The Illusion of the Fourth Transformation
The Fourth Transformation sold the illusion that one man’s political will could solve national problems. Today, this narrative clashes with the reality of a Mexico far from positive transformation and burdened with financial and structural problems that will outlast multiple administrations.
Key Questions and Answers
- What were some of López Obrador’s poor decisions? López Obrador made several questionable decisions, including canceling the Texcoco International Airport project, implementing failed welfare-oriented agricultural programs, and abandoning profitability goals for Pemex.
- How did these decisions affect Mexico’s agricultural sector? The poor decisions led to the cancellation of productive farming programs and their replacement with failed welfare-oriented support programs, negatively impacting the agricultural sector.
- What was the consequence of canceling the Texcoco International Airport? The cancellation resulted in a 460,000 million pesos loss and forced airlines and cargo companies to relocate operations to the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA), causing further financial strain.
- What are some ongoing consequences of López Obrador’s decisions? Ongoing consequences include the recent cancellation of Mexican airline routes to the US, a security crisis in aviation, and structural problems in various sectors that will outlast multiple administrations.
