This individual case is controversial because the man has always been very confrontational, another finance sector source adds, recalling that Salinas Pliego has always added a political spice to his disputes and has 'openly criticized governments, of any stripe and color.' Within the business sector, Salinas Pliego had been accumulating conflicts and enmities, and even went as far as to sue his own partners, which ultimately isolated him from the sector itself. The Supreme Court's decision to reject Ricardo Salinas Pliego's amparos to avoid a sentence of over 30 billion pesos for tax evasion has shaken the business community, which, while recognizing the magnate's confrontational history, fears the political message the court is sending. This climate explains why the main business chambers consulted by LPO did not want to issue an opinion on the case. The new court confirmed the conviction against Salinas Pliego, in its first ruling with high political impact. Despite this, several executives clarify that the individual should not distract from the message left by the ruling. 'It may be a political victory for the government in the short term, but it fuels the fear of investing in Mexico, especially because it's not the only case,' warns a businessman who also admits that investments are already being hit by other factors. For the private sector, the government's lack of tact was in letting the conflict escalate too much. Even understanding that it is a particular case and admitting that the State may be right, the unease is repeated as a mantra in the sector: 'I hope it doesn't become a trend with other companies.' 'It leaves a bad taste in my mouth that they didn't have the political will to stop it earlier, added to the fact that the court obviously has a political bias, it's not a good sign,' they say. Regarding the direct impact on the businessman's figure, views within the private sector are divided. For some, the ruling is indeed a political victory for the government and confirms how far it is willing to go in a conflict that has been unresolved for years. Others, however, believe the decision could be counterproductive, as the magnate has experience in international litigation and knows how to use a judicial setback to play the victim. 'For most Mexicans, he is a villain: racist, misogynist, and those who work in his companies speak ill of the institutional culture,' admits a pharmaceutical sector businessman. 'It leaves a bad taste in my mouth that they didn't have the political will to stop it earlier, added to the fact that the court obviously has a political bias, it's not a good sign,' they state. They argue that the timing was especially bad and that the ruling allows him to argue that it is an arbitrary act aimed specifically at him, which could give him more room to continue the fight abroad.
