By 87 votes in favor, 20 against and 16 abstentions, the Senate approved the initiative that the Government played as a revenge card for the decision of Deputies to reject, on Sunday, its proposal for constitutional reform of the electricity sector that proposed reversing the liberalization of the sector.
The initiative considers lithium as a Nation’s heritage and reserves its exploitation and use in the hands of a state companyto be created, without private participation, whether national or foreign.
Although previous governments awarded at least eight contracts to private firms, those agreements will be reviewed, López Obrador announced in his morning press conference, the sites of several Mexico City newspapers reported.
Mexico has lithium projects in the exploratory phase, but according to experts it has yet to be determined if they are profitable and their exploitation could take up to two decades.
What was approved by the Senate – which this morning was voted in committee – implies the modification of 4 articles of the Mining Law.
In the morning, and with unusually tight times, the Mining and Regional Development and Second Legislative Studies commissions had approved the presidential proposal under the “fast track” mechanism.
The text, according to López Obrador’s proposal, “is intended to guarantee the self-determination of the nation, as well as the energy sovereignty of the people over lithium and other minerals that are strategic and necessary for the energy transition.”
The ruling National Regeneration Movement (Morena) acted yesterday in Deputies and today in commission and on the premises with the support of its allies Green Party, Labor Party and Citizen Movement.
The opposition, an alliance of the PAN, PRD and PRI, criticized the rush to sanction the project and argued that it is false to nationalize lithium, because that is already contemplated in article 27 of the Constitution.
The reform includes the creation of a decentralized public body that is in charge of the exploration, exploitation and exploitation of the mineral, key for the so-called new technologies and in the automotive industry.
The text establishes that the Mexican Geological Service will help this decentralized organization in charge of exploitation in the location and recognition of the geological areas in which there are probable reserves.
The initiative states that exploration and exploitation will protect and guarantee the health of Mexicans, the environment and the rights of native peoples.
Source: Ambito
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