Mexico president's unity call after migrant deaths draws opposition criticism

President Claudia Sheinbaum's call for national unity after the deaths of 17 Mexicans in the United States has sparked a sharp rebuke from the opposition National Action Party (PAN). Jorge Romero Herrera, the PAN's leader, labeled the president's appeal as "incongruent" and "inconsistent" with her administration's political approach.

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Our solidarity for our sisters and brothers countrymen is total. Much more than whether the President convenes it or not, it does not revolve around that solidarity with the President, it revolves around them.

Romero Herrera expressed solidarity with the Mexican migrants who suffered abuses and died in U.S. custody or during migration operations. However, he criticized the president's call for unity, suggesting it was a reactive measure for a specific crisis rather than a consistent policy. He argued that the PAN's support for expatriate workers is a permanent duty, independent of any invitations from the federal government.

The PAN leader pointed to a perceived "schizophrenia" in the government's actions, noting that the administration frequently confronts and denigrates the opposition, only to call for unity during international crises. He recalled the PAN's two-year effort to engage in dialogue with the federal government and their recent submission of "111 solutions for the country," which he claimed were met with scorn.

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We consider this to be a circumstantial threat the President is making and that it does not correspond to a government policy... what we do believe is a certain degree of schizophrenia the fact that you spend your time offending, insulting, denigrating, and belittling the opposition, and then out of the blue you decide to call for unity.

Romero Herrera urged Sheinbaum to adopt an institutional role permanently, not just in isolated events. He also addressed the government's announcement of legal actions against U.S. authorities, stating that while solidarity with the victims' families is absolute, the execution of legal proceedings falls under the purview of consulates, not political parties.

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Hopefully, it is not just her desire for unity for one issue on a single date. That is, hopefully, it would be her role as head of state for a six-year term.