The Secretary of Energy (Sener), led by Luz Elena González, faces a great challenge. Although they have control in both chambers and could approve anything, market opinion is a crucial factor they cannot overlook. Sener committed to presenting plans for CFE and Pemex on February 5 and 12 respectively, hoping to correct the paralysis affecting the sector since last October.
In the area of exploration and production of Pemex, led by Néstor Martínez, the signing of contracts has been scarce. This has forced international and national companies, such as Baker Hughes, Halliburton, SLB, GSM Bronco, Grupo México, and La Latina, to lay off staff, close offices, and even operate with the bare minimum. According to IMSS figures, in Tabasco alone, more than 3,500 people were laid off between November and December, but unofficial figures indicate that the total could exceed 30,000 workers laid off in Tabasco, Campeche, and Veracruz.
In the case of Pemex, the workload has increased due to the lack of contracts; more than 700 positions have been eliminated, and workers are sent to platforms without having materials to perform maintenance. The question remains whether the secondary laws will be sufficient to halt the decline in production and the labor and social crisis facing the industry since Peña Nieto's energy reform.
Grupo Modelo, chaired by Daniel Cocenzo, was forced by the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation to compensate for moral damages to the family of a worker who died due to the lack of necessary equipment for his cleaning work in a brewery tank. This ruling sets a precedent that could lead to changes in all companies to train their employees and provide them with the appropriate equipment.
The international dairy meeting in Torreón, organized by the Mexican Association of Milk Producers (AMLAC) and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), is a relevant space for exchanging knowledge and best practices among milk producers. Companies such as Grupo Lala, FIRA, CNOG, the National Chamber of Milk Industries, and the International Dairy Federation participate.
Regarding Pemex, under the direction of Víctor Rodríguez, it faces a process of accelerated changes that must translate into concrete actions to maintain operations and announce the "mixed investment" schemes. The secondary laws have already been presented and will be sent to Congress soon.
The new general director of Femsa Salud, Jacobo Caller Celestino, will take office on March 1. Femsa Salud, a business unit of Fomento Económico Mexicano, led by José Antonio Fernández, operates in Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Mexico through pharmacies and laboratories. With more than 4,500 pharmacies and 35,000 employees in the four countries, new strategies are expected under his leadership.
