President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, stated this Monday that the way some television stations have broadcast information about the hydrocarbon spill in the Gulf of Mexico has generated negative effects on economic sectors such as tourism, particularly among hoteliers and restaurateurs in the state of Veracruz. During her morning conference, Sheinbaum affirmed that beyond criticizing the government, the media coverage has transcended into an approach that, in her opinion, also damages third parties not directly linked to public administration. Sheinbaum sends a message to the media The head of state raised the need to open a direct dialogue between Veracruz's tourism sector entrepreneurs and communication companies, with the purpose of clarifying perceptions and the economic impact that the dissemination of negative news can have. Sheinbaum emphasized that Mexicans have the right to information and the truth, but stressed that there is a difference between reporting rigorously and maintaining a constant attack that, as she said, could harm people who depend on tourism and services. "It may be that you do not agree with the government, there may be political differences with the government. But a very different thing is the permanent attack that damages third parties… who are precisely the restaurateurs, the hoteliers and all the people dedicated to services in Veracruz and, in general, throughout the Gulf of Mexico," the president expressed. Impact of the spill and tourism in the region The statements come in the context of intense coverage of the crude oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which has generated debates about its environmental and economic impact, especially in coastal communities that live from fishing and tourism. Despite the controversy, the president herself has highlighted that tourism in Veracruz has shown a significant tourist flow this season, with high hotel occupancy in several destinations even after the incident. Sheinbaum also announced that the head of Tourism, Josefina Rodríguez Zamora, will present a complete report on hotel occupancy after the Easter holiday periods, to analyze how the sector has behaved. In addition, the head of state informed that she will hold a meeting this Tuesday with an interdisciplinary group made up of federal dependencies, specialists and academic institutions. The objective is to jointly review the origin of the spill, containment actions, and establish a permanent environmental monitoring scheme for the region.
