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A6 WORLD NEWS
Friday 13 January 2023

National Guard sent to Mexico City subway on sabotage worry

MEXICO CITY (AP) — The voked,” the president said.
mayor of Mexico City an- “If they call that militariza-
nounced Thursday that tion or whatever, then we
6,060 National Guard of- will take responsibility for
ficers will be posted in the that,” he said.
city’s subway system after The latest accident came
a series of accidents that Saturday, when two sub-
officials suggested could way trains collided in a
be due to sabotage. stretch between stations,
Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum killing one person and in-
said a series of mechanical juring dozens more. Local
problems in recent months media reported there had
may have been due to previously been signaling
“not normal” causes. Shein- problems on that stretch of
baum appeared to sug- track.
gest, but did not say, that it In May 2021, an elevated
could involve some form of section of the subway sys-
sabotage. tem collapsed, causing 26
“In recent months, inci- deaths and injuring nearly
dents have been occurring 100 people. An investiga-
that we categorize as not tion blamed the structural
normal,” Sheinbaum said, failure on deficiencies in
adding that she had asked construction, and 10 for-
President Andrés Manuel Rescue workers exit the Raza station where two subway trains collided, in Mexico City, Saturday, mer officials have been
López Obrador to dispatch Jan. 7, 2023. charged with a form of
the quasi-military National Associated Press manslaughter, injury and
Guard officers and that he ment, could help control a sive use of force.” against her. damage to property, but
agreed. situation that appears to be Accidents on the city’s sub- López Obrador was some- none have been jailed.
Sheinbaum said Guard of- caused by maintenance, way have been a recurrent what more specific, saying Poor welding, a lack of
ficers would be posted at design or operational flaws. embarrassment for Shein- the Guard would be there maintenance, antiquated
subway stations “and some The Miguel Agustín Pro baum, who is considered to prevent “provoked,” or electronic systems and
other facilities” in the trans- Juárez human rights cen- the most likely candidate intentional accidents. the city’s frequent earth-
port system and would be ter said the announcement of López Obrador’s More- “What we want is for there quakes and soft soil condi-
there “for some months.” “is concerning, because it na party to succeed him not to be psychosis, for tions have all been blamed
She did not explain how is obvious that this agency in the 2024 elections. Like people not to have to wor- in the past for problems on
the Guard officers, mostly reproduces the military’s the president, Sheinbaum ry about some accident the subway, but sabotage
drawn from the army and problems with a lack of often ascribes setbacks to in the subway, and that has never before been
assigned to law enforce- transparency and exces- a conservative conspiracy it could have been pro- seen as a cause.q

Big vs small: EU faces big subsidy rift before facing U.S.

By RAF CASERT and SAMUEL don’t have. Germany or poorer Bulgar- the $369 billion Inflation Re- states can use to coun-
PETREQUIN It would fundamentally ia, can compete as much duction Act must avoid “a ter Washington and keep
Associated Press threaten the EU’s cherished a possible on an equal competition on who can green industries in Europe
KIRUNA, Sweden (AP) — As “single market” where all footing. provide the most state aid” are a given and Europe-
the European Union thinks industries from the 27 na- The EU’s response to the within the EU, Swedish In- an Commission President
about injecting more sub- tions, be they from wealthy U.S. subsidies imbedded in dustry Minister Ebba Busch Ursula von der Leyen has
sidies into its industry to said. “We would have a proposed the idea of a Eu-
counter U.S. efforts to ramp situation where we would ropean sovereignty fund
up its green technologies distort competition on the to support the ecological
sector, fears only increase internal market, and par- transition of the bloc’s in-
that the continent’s giants ticularly, disadvantage the dustry. The point will be to
will profit at the cost of the smaller states within the make any effort more bal-
small member states. union.” anced than the 540 billion
And if the EU’s approval The EU member states are euros in state aid specifical-
of subsidies to counter the already gearing up for ly approved up to now to
impact of Russia’s war in precisely that battle when allow member states deal
Ukraine are anything to go their leaders will meet for with the impact of Russia’s
by, such fears are justified. a two-day summit in Brus- war in Ukraine.
Sweden, which holds the sels on Feb. 9-10. For sure, Almost half of the ap-
EU presidency, warned most of the public debate proved state aid, or 49.33
Thursday about the need will center on how to con- %, was linked to Germa-
to preserve a balance to front Washington without ny, while almost a third,
make sure that Germany Johan Pehrson, leader of the Liberal Party, Jimmie Akesson, unleashing a trans-Atlan- or 29.92%, was requested
leader of the Sweden Democrats Party, Ulf Kristersson, leader
and France don’t strong- of the Moderate Party and Ebba Busch, leader of the Christian tic trade war, but among by France. In comparison,
arm smaller member states Democrats arrive for a press conference regarding the formation member states, the urge to southern nations like Italy,
and boost their national of the government, at the Parliament in Stockholm, on Oct. 14, protect national interests with 4.73% and Spain, with
powerhouses will billions in 2022. will be at play as well. 1.86%, injected a lot less
subsidies that others simply Associated Press Subsidies that member into their economies.q