• LOSS: The projected loss of his supermajority in Mexico’s Lower House of Congress in Sunday’s midterm election will hinder president Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s ability to push constitutional changes including an overhaul of the electric industry and the disbandment of independent regulatory agencies.
• SUPERMAJORITY: Amid the coronavirus economic downturn and high levels of violence, López Obrador’s coalition in Congress would be able to retain a majority of 500 Lower House seats but would not reach a two-thirds majority(334 seats), according to preliminary results by Mexico’s elections authority (INE).
• ELECTRICITY: Back in March, López Obrador said he would push to amend Mexico’s constitution if the Supreme Court deemed unconstitutional a recent that favors state-owned utility CFE over private companies. The US private sector says the law also goes against the USMCA trade deal.
• REGULATORS: In January, the Mexican president said it will seek to pass a reform to abolish several of the country’s independent regulatory agencies including antitrust commission (COFECE) and the access to information body (INAI). López Obrador has not enjoyed a supermajority in the Mexican Senate since he took office in 2018.
