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Agence France-Presse

Outgoing Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador on Monday gave the final edition of his marathon morning press conferences jokingly known as “The AMLO Show”, which dominated the news landscape.
According to an official count, the indefatigable 70-year-old gave 1,438 such appearances, lasting between two and three hours each weekday morning from 7am.
“I’m leaving very happy, also because tomorrow I will be handing over the presidential sash to an exceptional woman,” the veteran leftist said, referring to president-elect Claudia Sheinbaum.
A close Lopez Obrador ally, Sheinbaum will be sworn in on Tuesday as Mexico’s first woman president, and has pledged to give her own version of the daily event.

During six years of appearances, Lopez Obrador never sat down or took a sip of water while on stage. He was only absent for a few days on the two occasions when he contracted the coronavirus.
He was the “first president in history to give daily conferences, and no one in the world has followed his example,” said Luis Estrada, director of the communications consultancy Spin who views the appearances as “propaganda”.
With more than 4.5 million YouTube subscribers, Lopez Obrador used the daily fixture to announce policy, speak directly to the Mexican people, criticise his predecessors and attack his critics, including the news media themselves.
He accused reporters who dared to contradict him of being “at the service of vested interest groups”.
Most of the questions put to Lopez Obrador at the daily appearances “were planted or asked by friendly journalists,” said Pamela Starr, professor of political science and international relations at the University of Southern California.
“Where they were really important was not in being traditional press conferences, but in a way for Lopez Obrador to set the agenda every day and take that ability out of the hands of the media and to be able to communicate directly with his people,” she said.

Dozens of journalists and social media communicators waited excitedly Monday for possibly their last chance to talk to Lopez Obrador, who has vowed to leave politics and retire to his ranch.
“It’s an honour to be with Obrador!” a couple of followers declared.
The silver-haired anti-establishment politician widely known by his initials “AMLO” won a landslide election victory in 2018 in a country fed up with corruption, crime and poverty.
He leaves office due to the country’s single-term limit with an approval rating of around 70 per cent – the envy of leaders around the world.
On his last day as head of state, Lopez Obrador signed into law two constitutional reforms he championed, including one that controversially places the National Guard under the command of the military.
He had promised not to say much at his last press conference, but in the end spent almost 80 minutes presenting a long list of what he considered his government’s main achievements.
More jobs had been created during his term than in European countries or the United States, while a murder rate largely linked to drug violence had dropped by 19 per cent, the first fall since 2000, he said.
According to figures from the interior ministry, however, there were almost 200,000 murders during Lopez Obrador’s term, more than under the previous three presidents.
When he finally stopped talking, the celebration began with regional Mexican music.
“You agreed to bring breakfast,” Lopez Obrador, whose government was marked by austerity, reminded journalists before giving his watch to be raffled off among members of the audience.


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Mexico

Mexico’s Lopez Obrador gives 1,438th press conference on his last day in office

Mexico’s President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador during his last daily press conference. Photo: AFP

Claudia Sheinbaum will be sworn in on Tuesday as Mexico’s first woman president. File photo: AFP

Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador unveils his portrait at the National Palace after giving his last morning press conference. Photo: AP

Venezuela arrests 6 foreigners accused of plotting to kill President Maduro

Weapons seized by Venezuelan authorities displayed at a press conference. Six foreigners have been detained in Venezuela on suspicion of plotting to attack President Nicolas Maduro. Photo: AFP

Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro speaking at the presidential palace in August. Photo: AP

Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced the arrest of six foreigners who were accused of plotting to destabilise the country. Photo: AFP

Colombian President Petro slammed for branding women journalists ‘dolls of the mafia’

Colombian President Gustavo Petro. Photo: Reuters

Meet El Chapo’s wife, who just modelled at Milan Fashion Week: Emma Coronel married the notorious Mexican drug lord at 18, and has only been out of prison 12 months

El Chapo’s wife Emma Coronel just modelled at Milan Fashion Week. Photo: AP

Emma Coronel just made her Milan Fashion Week debut. Photo: @aprilblackdiamond/Instagram

A young Emma Coronel caught El Chapo’s eye when she was just 17. Photo: AFP

Emma Coronel in 2019. Photo: Reuters

El Chapo’s wife Emma Coronel recently starred in her friend’s music video. Photo: @mariellaabogada/Instagram

Chinese migrants flock to Mexico in search of freedom and opportunity

An arch donated by the Chinese government adorns the Degollado Plaza in Mexico City. Photo: AP

Owner Duan Fan poses in his Chinese restaurant “Nueve y media,” in the Roma Sur neighbourhood of Mexico City, July 5, 2024. Photo: AP

Migrants board a plane for deportation at an airbase in Panama City, Panama, on Friday. Panama has imposed border closures through the Darién Gap and launched a partnership with the US government to repatriate migrants, including Chinese, who often fly into Colombia to make the journey through a perilous jungle of the in the hopes of reaching the US. Photo: Bloomberg

Chinese products are seen in a supermarket in downtown Mexico City, July 24, 2024. Photo: AP

News

World

Americas

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is passing the baton to Claudia Sheinbaum, who will be Mexico’s first woman president


Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is passing the baton to Claudia Sheinbaum, who will be Mexico’s first woman president.
