Mexico proudly controls its energy but could find it hard to reach its climate goals

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s taking control of its oil sector from U.S. and British companies is taught in schools and celebrated every year. The 1938 nationalization is a point of pride for millions of Mexicans including President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

The popular president hails from the Mexican oil industry’s heartland, and 16 years ago he led a fight against energy reforms that were aimed at drawing private investment to the massive state-run oil company, Pemex. This year, the front-runner in the race to replace López Obrador chose the anniversary of Mexico’s oil expropriation to announce her energy proposals, which include maintaining large-scale petroleum production by Pemex.

Front-runner Claudia Sheinbaum also wants to make sure that the government-run Federal Electricity Commission, CFE, generates the majority of the power Mexico supplies to homes and businesses. Like the other two candidates to replace López Obrador, she only wants limited private energy involvement, but continuing to favor state-owned companies will make it harder for Mexico to meet its climate change commitments, experts say.