Zedillo challenges Sheinbaum: demands an auditor for Fobaproa and AMLO's projects

Ernesto Zedillo , former president of Mexico (1994-2000), reappeared in the national debate with a proposal that not only stirs up his government's past, but also calls into question the most emblematic projects of the government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador .

In a letter addressed to President Claudia Sheinbaum , Zedillo issued a resounding challenge: to appoint an independent international auditor of impeccable reputation to review both the controversial Fobaproa bank bailout and the flagship projects of the so-called "Fourth Transformation": the cancellation of the NAIM, the Dos Bocas refinery, and the Mayan Train .

"Citizens have the right to know how much these extremely serious misdeeds by López-Obrador cost and what benefits were lost," Zedillo emphasized.

The Fobaproa (National Restructuring Fund) has been one of the most controversial issues in Zedillo's legacy. It was a measure adopted to rescue the financial system after the 1994 crisis, but it also meant the socialization of private debt. For decades, it has been used by the left as a symbol of "bailing out the rich."

But now, the former president is reversing the narrative and proposing that the spotlight should also be placed on the megaprojects from the previous six-year term.

"Why not also audit the hundreds of billions of dollars spent on projects that don't live up to their promises? What happened to the nearly finished airport in Texcoco?" Zedillo asked.

President Sheinbaum has also spoken out. Since her morning press conference on April 29, she demanded that the Bank of Mexico report on the lifetime pension that, according to her, Zedillo receives. She suggested that he worked for companies that benefited from decisions made during his term.

"You can't speak so freely. What was Fobaproa? Who were those resources given to?" the president said.

Zedillo counterattacked, clarifying that his pension comes from his job at the Bank of Mexico, not from privileges after his presidency. He accused Sheinbaum of trying to distract the public with personal attacks instead of being held accountable for the decisions of López Obrador's administration.

In addition to the audits, Zedillo expressed concern about the judicial reform promoted by Morena. He considered this bill to represent a democratic setback , concentrating power in a single party and jeopardizing judicial independence.

"The president was elected thanks to democracy. Her obligation should be to defend it, not destroy it," he warned.

Zedillo's proposal comes at a key moment, as Sheinbaum seeks to consolidate her mandate and distance herself from the controversies of López Obrador's administration without breaking with his legacy. The call for an international audit highlights the need to objectively evaluate the cost-benefit ratios of the most controversial projects of the Fourth Transformation.

This exchange of statements isn't just a clash of presidential egos. It represents the fundamental debate about how to evaluate the past, oversee the present, and build a solid democracy for the future .

Zedillo, whose figure has been vilified by the left, is attempting to reposition himself as a defender of accountability and the rule of law. Sheinbaum, for her part, seeks to reaffirm her leadership while responding to the ghosts of neoliberalism and authoritarianism.

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