Mexico’s AMLO defends legacy in final state-of-the-nation speech

It was Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador's last State of the Nation address, a two-hour speech listing his accomplishments. This perhaps was the main one. 5.1 million people came out of poverty in 2018 to 2024. 5.6% of the population. That had never happened in the last 30 years. He presided over a more than 100% jump in the minimum salary, a raft of social programs and direct credit transfers to those in need, pensions for the old and grants for those at school. It all did help reduce poverty and maintain approval levels at between 70 to 80%. Mexico City's main square was full of the faithful. He gave me a home, helped with my cancer, with my family. I feel that God sent him. Now that he's going, we want him to stay with us. That's why I made these images, to keep him present. In other areas, like reducing violence, he was largely unsuccessful. He claimed to have stopped corruption. Little evidence exists for that either. In a month, he's due to hand off power to Claudia Scheinbaum from the same party. But this is no lame duck president. Before he goes, he aims to pass a package of 20 ambitious but also controversial reforms. Among them, dismantling autonomous bodies like the National Institute for Transparency, bringing the federal police force under the army's control and making changes to the country's electoral body. Critics say those measures are an effort to reduce the checks and balances on his own party's power, particularly the upcoming judicial reform. Lopez Obrador says it will reduce corruption. It is so that they impart justice to the benefit of everyone and so that they are not at the service of organized crime and white-collar criminals, so that they serve the people. The reform means that judges will be appointed via popular vote. Critics say it will force them into bed with political interest to get elected. It's a mark of how controversial especially the judicial reform is, that this march is happening on the same day that the president's delivering his State of the Nation address. This isn't going to be a soft final month that Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is going to be one likely marked by legislative action but also opposition. But the president's party has a majority in both congress and senate that makes it all but a given that his reforms will pass. Both opponents and supporters agree they'll change Mexico. The question is for better or worse. John Holman, Al Jazeera, Mexico City. Make sure to subscribe to our channel to get the latest news from Al Jazeera.