Mexico President Sheinbaum defends TMEC, calls for US evidence, and halts metro centennial awards

President Claudia Sheinbaum told reporters that the United States‑Mexico‑Canada Trade Agreement (TMEC) remains in force despite the United States not yet sending a formal extension request. She said the pact will continue under its ten‑year term with annual reviews and can be extended for another sixteen years if all three parties agree. She also demanded proof from the U.S. Treasury of accusations that the Jalisco New Generation Cartel was financing political campaigns, and she rejected any immediate restoration of diplomatic ties with Ecuador after the Mexican embassy in Quito was stormed. In domestic policy she announced that the Institute for the Welfare of the Rights of the Mexican People (INEHRM) will become a decentralized public university offering free degrees from September 2026, and she expressed condolences for three people who died during World Cup celebrations.

Separately, Metro director Adrián Rubalcava approved the distribution of centennial medals to long‑serving metro workers—a program that Sheinbaum had halted to save public funds. The awards, costing about 130 million pesos, exceed the budget for recent station renovations. The move sparked criticism over spending priorities and highlighted ongoing tensions between the city government and the metro workers’ union.