Mexico Swears in New President Amid Migration Negotiations with U.S.

By Viviana Garcia-Blanco
Standing next to his wife Beatriz Gutierrez Muller, right center, Mexico’s newly sworn-in President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador holds up a chieftain’s staff during a traditional indigenous ceremony at the Zocalo, in Mexico City, Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018. Lopez Obrador was formally anointed leader by indigenous groups at the ceremony. Mexico has more than 70 indigenous communities, and Lopez Obrador has pledged to end centuries of poverty and marginalization for them.
Standing next to his wife Beatriz Gutierrez Muller, right center, Mexico's newly sworn-in President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador holds up a chieftain's staff during a traditional indigenous ceremony at the Zocalo, in Mexico City, Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018. Lopez Obrador was formally anointed leader by indigenous groups at the ceremony. Mexico has more than 70 indigenous communities, and Lopez Obrador has pledged to end centuries of poverty and marginalization for them. Eduardo Verdugo / AP Photo
Standing next to his wife Beatriz Gutierrez Muller, right center, Mexico’s newly sworn-in President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador holds up a chieftain’s staff during a traditional indigenous ceremony at the Zocalo, in Mexico City, Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018. Lopez Obrador was formally anointed leader by indigenous groups at the ceremony. Mexico has more than 70 indigenous communities, and Lopez Obrador has pledged to end centuries of poverty and marginalization for them.
Standing next to his wife Beatriz Gutierrez Muller, right center, Mexico's newly sworn-in President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador holds up a chieftain's staff during a traditional indigenous ceremony at the Zocalo, in Mexico City, Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018. Lopez Obrador was formally anointed leader by indigenous groups at the ceremony. Mexico has more than 70 indigenous communities, and Lopez Obrador has pledged to end centuries of poverty and marginalization for them. Eduardo Verdugo / AP Photo

Mexico Swears in New President Amid Migration Negotiations with U.S.

By Viviana Garcia-Blanco

On Saturday, leftist leader and social activist Andrés Manuel López Obrador, known as AMLO, was sworn into office as Mexico’s 58th President. Following a cleansing ritual by indigenous elders symbolizing purity and liberation, AMLO dived into his speech attacking free-market policies that he feels have devastated Mexico’s economy and citizens. AMLO also vowed to keep his election promise to end corruption. He said, “I will not lie, I will not steal or betray the people of Mexico.” Joining us to discuss this new transition of Mexican politics is Milena Ang. She’s collegiate assistant professor of Social Sciences at the University of Chicago.