From SinEmbargo
President Enrique Peña Nieto said Tuesday that his government would invest the equivalent of about $3.4 billion in social and infrastructure programs for the beleaguered Mexican state of Michoacan. The funding will go to scholarships for students, pensions for the elderly and credits for small business owners, as well as for infrastructure projects such as highways and a new hospital.
Guerrero Governor Angel Aguirre Rivero, reported yesterday that, almost five months after the hurricanes 'Manuel' and 'Ingrid' seriously beat up the people and infrastructure of that state, not a single penny of the 30 billion Enrique Peña Nieto promised has reached the state.
On November 7, 2013, in an event which was attended by at least six members of his legal office, legislators, business leaders, and the Guerrero governor himself, the head of the Federal Government announced the 'Guerrero New Plan', designed in 'three phases', to 'promote economic growth and inclusive social development within a framework of transparency and citizen participation' after the tragedy.
Manuel' struck Guerrero on the Pacific coast on September 13, 2013 and simultaneously Hurricane 'Ingrid' came ashore from the Gulf of Mexico, which generated an official toll of 123 dead, 33 wounded, 68 missing 59,000 evacuated, 218,594 people affected, 35,000 houses damaged, and a great destruction in the road infrastructure in the state.
But, according to Aguirre Rivero, what the president promised has not arrived and not a single peso of those millions offered has been seen in Guerrero.
Statements of the PRD Governor match the claim also made more than 2000 natives of the region of La Montaña in Guerrero, who performed in Tlapa the 'Pilgrimage of Hunger', which demanded that federal authorities release the resources promised by the President, for damages left behind by 'Manuel'.
Also yesterday, attended by all members of the legal and extended cabinets, Peña Nieto announced the 'Michoacán Plan' based on 'five lines of action' and that this year will be invested 45 billion pesos to encourage state's economic recovery, infrastructure, employment, education, security and social development, among other areas.
The same President instructed federal officials, especially the head of the Ministry of the Interior (Interior Ministry), Miguel Angel Osorio Chong, to monitor each of the commitments made yesterday and also that federal resources show through.
He also promised to visit the state, at least 12 times this year to be closer to the Michoacan.
In both cases, as we all know, the promised aid is urgent.
However, the delay in Guerrero is unjustifiable in the light of structural damage left by the storms and the huge gaps - already large - left to the historically poorest.
Michoacán, of course, also requires that these presidential commitments are met as soon as possible and that not one peso deviates from the target.
But after the failure in Guerrero, doubts about the ability of government action and committed political will arise.
In one state, for example, there is a government run by the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) and the other administration of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).
Just two days ago, Osorio Chong said before the mayors of Mexico: 'We are not making the issue of security a political issue and so we will enforce ... is a crime take the issue of security for a policy matter, to break a political enemy or knocked on his political intentions, it's not going to happen from us. '
And hopefully it will be established. very soon in Guerrero, where promises are already nearly five months late ... and, of course, in Michoacan, where since the beginning of this administration of EPN, citizens have demanded, not federal special measures, but simply carry out their basic responsibilities.