Sheinbaum applauds Lula’s win in Brazil, supports INE president’s resignation: Monday’s mañanera recapped

• 🇧🇷 Sheinbaum celebrates Lula’s victory in Brazil: The president said she was “very, very happy” about Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s win in Sunday’s presidential run-off, calling it “a breath of fresh air for Latin America and the Caribbean.” She described the result as “the defeat of a rightist movement” and said Lula’s administration is “similar” to hers. Sheinbaum said she would speak with Lula at midday Monday to congratulate him.
• 🗳️ Sheinbaum endorses Taddei’s decision to resign from the INE: Sheinbaum described Guadalupe Taddei’s decision to step down as National Electoral Institute (INE) president as “good.” She said an investigation and an audit are needed to review the allegations of abuses of power or privileges while serving at the electoral authority. Taddei announced her resignation amid corruption allegations related to INE contracts awarded to companies linked to José Alfredo Hernández Casillas, who is reportedly close to the outgoing INE president. Sheinbaum stressed that the INE’s work will continue without interruption ahead of the June 6, 2027 elections.
• 📈 Sheinbaum touts August economic growth: The president called year-over-year economic growth of 3.5% in August “very good news.” She said construction, including housing and public infrastructure projects, helped drive the expansion, with construction activity up 7.9% annually in August, according to INEGI. Sheinbaum also pointed to electronics production as a growth driver.

Why today’s mañanera matters

President Sheinbaum’s Monday press conference came a day after Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva won the presidential run-off election in Brazil, Latin America’s most populous country.

Lula’s surprise victory over Flávio Bolsonaro, son of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, halted a right-wing wave that has recently swept over Latin America.

Sheinbaum made it abundantly clear that the triumph of the 80-year-old incumbent Brazilian president pleased her. She said she would speak with Lula at midday Monday to congratulate him.

Lula’s victory in Brazil after finishing behind Bolsonaro in the first round earlier this month means that the Sheinbaum administration retains an important ideological ally in the region at a time when various other Latin American countries, including Argentina, Chile, Colombia and El Salvador, are ruled by right-wing governments.

At today’s mañanera, Sheinbaum also commented on another significant development on Sunday — Guadalupe Taddei’s announcement that she would resign as president of Mexico’s National Electoral Institute (INE).

Taddei decided to leave the role she has held since 2023 amid corruption allegations related to the INE’s awarding of lucrative contracts to companies linked to José Alfredo Hernández Casillas. According to recent media reports, Taddei has a close personal relationship with Hernández.

Sheinbaum celebrates Lula’s victory in Brazil 

“We are happy!” Sheinbaum declared at the very start of her mañanera as she made an L sign with her thumb and index finger.

“We’re very happy with Lula’s triumph in Brazil,” she said.

“Many congratulations to President Lula and the people of Brazil. It’s a breath of fresh air for Latin America and the Caribbean. We’re very, very happy,” Sheinbaum said.

Later in the press conference, she described Lula’s victory as “very important.”

“It’s the triumph of a president, of a people’s movement, of a government that represents its people,” Sheinbaum said.

“It’s the defeat of a rightist movement,” she added.

🇧🇷 La presidenta Claudia Sheinbaum expresó su gran alegría por el triunfo electoral de Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva en Brasil, calificándolo como “una bocanada de aire fresco” para América Latina y el Caribe.

Destacó que esta victoria representa el triunfo de un movimiento popular sobre uno de derecha y reconoce el trabajo del pueblo brasileño para revertir el resultado de la primera vuelta.

Asimismo, mencionó que sostendrá una llamada telefónica con Lula para felicitarlo y que evaluarían el momento oportuno para retomar proyectos conjuntos, incluyendo la colaboración entre PEMEX y Petrobras.

Más información: https://t.co/JnS6s9oW56

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— La Jornada (@lajornadaonline) October 26, 2026

Sheinbaum described Lula’s administration as “similar” to hers before saying that “it makes us feel very happy that a movement like the one Lula represents in Brazil won.”

Sheinbaum endorses Taddei’s decision to resign 

Sheinbaum described Taddei’s decision to step down as INE president as “good.”

She noted Taddei made her decision amid allegations of corruption.

“Obviously, an investigation has to be carried out. … There has to be an audit in order to review the suspicions or the allegations there have been regarding abuses or privileges within the INE,” Sheinbaum said.

She subsequently reiterated the view she expressed on Friday, saying that there must be “no hint of corruption” at the INE.

Sheinbaum stressed that there will be no interruption to the INE’s work despite Taddei’s decision to resign. The electoral authority’s main focus is currently the federal, state and municipal elections that will be held on June 6, 2027. The “electoral process” ahead of those elections officially began last month.

Sheinbaum touts strong economic growth in August

Sheinbaum said that year-over-year economic growth of 3.5% in August was “very good news.”

The national statistics agency INEGI reported the growth rate last Friday. It also reported that Mexico’s economy grew 0.6% in August compared to July. Earlier last week, INEGI published preliminary data showing that Mexico’s economy expanded 3.7% year-over-year in September.

Sheinbaum noted that construction, including housing and public infrastructure projects, is helping to drive growth. Construction activity increased 7.9% in August compared to the same month of last year, according to INEGI.

Sheinbaum also noted that the production of electronics is providing momentum to Mexico’s economy. Mexico’s export revenue has surged this year, in large part due to a sharp increase in the shipment to the United States of AI servers and other computer and electronic equipment. However, much of the content in such products is sourced from Asia, particularly Taiwan, limiting Mexico’s share of their total value added.