http://www.thedialogue.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/LAA210512.pdf
“The unfortunate metro incident highlights several social and structural challenges at the core of a growing city that leftist politicians have governed for the last two decades. Many of them have prospered politically, such as President López Obrador and Foreign Minister Ebrard, who served as back-to-back mayors. In fact, Mexico City is considered the heart of the leftist PRD and Morena movements. The metro has always been a fundamental means of public transportation, but it is also seen as a sense of pride, not just for locals but for Mexicans in general, who see it as part of the country’s modernity. While governments have advanced considerably in building new infrastructure such as the so called ‘second-floor’ pathways, the bidding process for construction and maintenance have never been very transparent, and corrupt officials may have not enforced strict inspection protocols. The incident goes beyond the terrible loss of lives. It opens a debate around the need to increase spending, not decrease it. Mostly, it directly hits the president’s succession plan. Both Claudia Sheinbaum and Marcelo Ebrard are the two clear front-runners and the closest politicians to the President. The outcome of the investigation and the result of the June midterm election will officially jump-start the 2024 election process.”