Live music, breakfast and a raffle: Mexico’s president is making the most of his last day in office

MEXICO CITY — Outgoing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador turned his final morning briefing on Monday into a variety show with live music, breakfast and a raffle in which a journalist was given his watch.

“I am committed to serving the people,” said the 70-year-old leader. “I am very happy to experience the affection of many Mexicans.”

Outside the National Palace, hundreds of boisterous supporters of the folksy populist showered him with love while mariachis gave a brassy serenade.

Despite having historically high approval ratings and majorities in Congress, López Obrador never proposed amending the constitution to open the possibility of a second six-year term, as other Latin American leaders have done. In his final days, however, he pushed through sweeping constitutional changes to the country’s judiciary and National Guard.

His 1,438th took place on Monday. morning briefing, a radical change he brought about after years of less accessible leaders in the presidency. His briefings, known as “Las Mañaneras,” set the agenda and gave journalists a chance to ask questions, although López Obrador addressed what he wanted — and ignored what he didn’t.

On Monday, he talked about his successes – as he has over the past six years – and noted that someone earning the minimum wage can now buy twice as many kilograms of tortillas and eggs as before because he increases this wage and fights inflation has.

After the briefing, some reporters who became integral parts of the “Mañaneras” and did not hide their support for López Obrador gave interviews to other journalists. Some shouted that they wanted to give the president farewell gifts or take one last selfie with him. The reporter who had won the president’s watch jumped from his seat in euphoria when his name was called.

After the inauguration on Tuesday, López Obrador will, as he has often promised, retreat to his ranch in the southern state of Chiapas and leave public life.

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