Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum used her Monday morning press conference on October 12 to address the federal response to Hurricane Simon, the crackdown on water protesters in Jalisco, and the decision to keep the Indigenous Peoples Law in consultation, according to Infobae.
Speaking at her regular La Mañanera briefing, Sheinbaum said the use of water and tear gas against demonstrators demanding potable water in Jalisco should not happen in Mexico. She called it a repressive technique and said that even the presence of a "black bloc" among protesters does not justify its use. She directed her remarks at Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus, asking him to respond to the incident.
Infobae reported that Sheinbaum also shared a statement from Nadia Beller, the former partner of Fernando Cerimedo, co-founder of La Derecha Diario, in which Beller described the use of bots to spread disinformation.
Why it matters
The briefing touched on several fronts at once: disaster response, the limits of force against protesters, and the government's approach to regulating online platforms. Sheinbaum's comments on the Jalisco crackdown signal a public break with state-level policing tactics, while her remarks on disinformation connect to a broader push to hold social media companies accountable.
Infobae reported that Sheinbaum said the use of water to break up a demonstration, as seen the previous day, is a practice that must not occur in Mexico, regardless of whether a black bloc is present.
Hurricane Simon and federal response
Sheinbaum provided an update on Hurricane Simon, which remained a Category 3 storm near Jalisco. She said Civil Protection is monitoring the system and that the DN-III Plan has been deployed. According to Infobae, she reported one death in Guerrero and rescue operations in San Felipe, Baja California. She urged residents in Jalisco, Sinaloa, Nayarit, and Colima to follow official advisories.
The storm's proximity to heavily populated coastal states has kept federal and state agencies on alert. Sheinbaum's briefing did not provide further details on damage assessments beyond the reported death and ongoing rescue work.
Indigenous Peoples Law remains in consultation
Infobae reported that the Indigenous Peoples Law will continue in consultation, meaning the government is not moving to a vote or implementation at this stage. Sheinbaum did not announce a timeline for when the consultation would conclude.
The decision keeps the legislation in a phase of public input, a process that has drawn attention from Indigenous communities and legal observers. No further specifics on the consultation's scope or participants were provided during the briefing.
Social media regulation and youth dialogue
Sheinbaum said she plans to hold a live conversation with young people to hear their views on regulating social media in Mexico. She reiterated that platform companies bear the greatest share of responsibility. Infobae reported that she made these comments during the same briefing where she addressed disinformation, citing Beller's account of bot activity.
The president's focus on platform accountability comes as her government weighs how to approach online content rules. She did not specify what regulatory measures are under consideration or when the youth dialogue would take place.
IMSS demands and hospital visits
Sheinbaum said she met with Zoé Robledo, head of the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), to review demands raised by different sectors of the institution following recent protests. Infobae reported that the discussion covered complaints from staff at the Ecatepec unit about supply shortages, as well as the situation of medical workers who have been working at IMSS since the 2020 pandemic without formally being part of the institution. Union-related matters were also reviewed.
Sheinbaum said Robledo will hold a press conference to provide information on these cases and the measures IMSS plans to take.
The president also explained that before her accountability tour for her second government report, she asked the security cabinet and IMSS-Bienestar to conduct visits to the 24 states where IMSS-Bienestar operates. During those visits, she met with directors to learn about difficulties and improvements, then visited hospitals and health centers. She said she preferred to arrive without "so much fanfare" to avoid her presence prompting only cosmetic changes or palliative improvements.
Housing, middle class, and a note on happiness
According to Infobae, Sheinbaum said her government has shielded policies to guarantee access to housing, citing credits offered for home purchases. She also said that with three points, progressivism can improve conditions for the middle class, though the briefing summary did not detail what those three points are.
Sheinbaum also weighed in on where happiness is found, saying it lies in nature rather than in accumulated goods or money. The remark came during a briefing otherwise dominated by disaster response and institutional demands.
Governors and legislative seats
Sheinbaum dismissed the idea that governors want to participate in the Chamber of Deputies after their administrations end in order to keep their immunity. "Not necessarily, it's a matter that comes from outside, because for a long time it wasn't possible," she said, according to Infobae.
The comment addressed speculation about the political intentions of outgoing governors. Sheinbaum did not elaborate on which governors or which specific cases prompted the question.
What to watch
Robledo's forthcoming press conference will be the next concrete development on the IMSS demands, while the government's consultation on the Indigenous Peoples Law and any movement on social media regulation remain open. Sheinbaum's planned live dialogue with young people, and the federal response to Hurricane Simon as it lingers near Jalisco, are the other threads to follow in the coming days.
