Background on Jesús Esteva and His Role
Jesús Esteva, the head of Mexico’s Secretaría de Infraestructura, Comunicaciones y Transportes (SICT), has been actively engaged in discussions to resolve air travel restrictions imposed by the United States. His efforts aim to ensure that airlines can operate as initially planned from the Benito Juárez International Airport (AICM) in Mexico City and the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA).
Meeting with US Officials
On the previous Monday, Esteva met with US officials to address concerns regarding the cancellation of new flight routes from both AICM and AIFA. According to Esteva, these discussions are progressing well, and there is hope for resolving the issues before year-end.
“President Claudia Sheinbaum announced last week that we would have a meeting, and we met on Monday. We listened to their proposals and provided our responses, but this is still an ongoing conversation, like other topics between the Mexican and US governments that are moving forward positively. We have a clear path, and we expect to have a favorable response by the first week of December or sooner,” Esteva stated.
Cargo Operations and Nocturnal Schedules
Despite the lack of specifics from SICT about the recent meeting, Esteva confirmed that negotiations are ongoing between the two governments. Although no agreement has been reached on resuming cargo operations at AICM during nighttime hours, as requested by the US Department of Transportation (DOT), Esteva remains optimistic about a positive outcome in the coming weeks.
App-Based Taxi Operations Within Mexican Airports
Regarding app-based taxi services within Mexican airports, Esteva mentioned that the Federal Department of Road Transport is reviewing the matter with all involved parties. He expressed confidence that an agreement will be reached before the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
Transexennial Vision for Mexico’s Development
During a previous conference titled ‘The Role of Infrastructure in Mexico’s Progress,’ Esteva emphasized the importance of social justice in his government’s actions. He highlighted ongoing projects aimed at benefiting the population in the short, medium, and long term, such as passenger train construction and various road developments.
“The Mexican government is working on development projects with a transexennial vision to ensure short-term, medium-term, and long-term benefits for the population,” Esteva added.
Addressing Extraordinary Rainfall Emergencies
In response to extraordinary rainfall events in the previous month, Esteva reported that normal traffic was restored on 1,061 km of federal highways within three days. Additionally, access was reopened to 269 localities by clearing 493 affected roads, supported by over 1,200 machines and 17,418 workers.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the role of Jesús Esteva? Jesús Esteva is the Secretary of Infrastructure, Communications, and Transportation (SICT) in Mexico, responsible for overseeing transportation projects and resolving issues like the current US air travel restrictions.
- What were the discussions with US officials about? The meetings focused on resolving concerns regarding the cancellation of new flight routes from Mexico City’s Benito Juárez International Airport (AICM) and the Felipe Ángeles International Airport (AIFA).
- What is the status of cargo operations at AICM? Although there is no agreement yet, negotiations are ongoing between Mexico and the US to potentially resume cargo operations at AICM during nighttime hours.
- What is Esteva’s stance on app-based taxi services in airports? The Federal Department of Road Transport is reviewing the matter, and Esteva expects an agreement before the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
- What is Esteva’s transexennial vision for Mexico’s development? Esteva aims to implement projects that benefit the population in the short, medium, and long term, focusing on social justice through infrastructure development.
- How did the Mexican government respond to extraordinary rainfall emergencies? The government swiftly restored traffic on federal highways and reopened access to localities affected by heavy rainfall, deploying over 1,200 machines and 17,418 workers to clear affected roads.
