Introduction
The ongoing issue of medicine and supply shortages in the public health system will not be resolved if pharmaceutical companies and government officials fail to engage in open dialogue about the situation’s reality.
Current Situation and Misconceptions
Recently, there have been discussions about pharmaceutical companies’ non-compliance, canceled bids, outstanding debts, and late or unnecessary orders. Some officials mistakenly believe that discussing the issue implies acknowledging potential errors, but it is ultimately the patients in the public health system who suffer.
Culiacán Incident: Robbery or a Message?
On September 23, the vehicle carrying Rubén Rocha Moya’s granddaughter, the newly elected governor of Sinaloa, was attacked, resulting in injuries to two security personnel who defended against the assailants.
As Claudia Sheinbaum, the head of Mexico City, visits Culiacán the next day, the official version maintains that the attackers only wanted the vehicle. However, local residents recall a similar incident on June 5, the day before Sinaloa’s gubernatorial election, when “the shorties” abducted electoral operatives from the PRI, only to release them later that day. This event suggests a connection to the election’s outcome.
Extortion of Pharmacies in the Edomex Region
Juvenal Becerra, president of the Union of Pharmacies with quotas, has reported that criminal gangs have started extorting pharmacies in the eastern part of the State of Mexico. These gangs demand protection fees ranging from 10,000 to 500,000 pesos, depending on the pharmacy’s campaign budget.
- Affected areas include Iztapalapa, Netzahualcóyotl, Los Reyes, and Chalco.
- Authorities have offered support, but extortion incidents are increasing this year.
- This situation serves as a warning to Mexico City and State of Mexico authorities, urging them not to downplay the problem’s significance and avoid damaging their image. If unchecked, it will become more costly than the benefits.
Additional News Snippets
Home robberies continue unabated in Mexico City. Residents of the Tlalpan Multifamily complex report that foreigners, claiming protection from authorities, have illegally occupied an apartment in building 1C… Authorities review the impacts of the unique registration key with biometric data on the Electoral Register, indicating that the Secretariat of Government insists on controlling it… The Bank of Mexico lowered the interest rate to 7.50%… U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem praised ICE officers as heroes following an attack on a detention center, where only one migrant died and two were injured by a U.S. sniper who later took his own life…
