When deputies play “who can do more?” with 27 songs in one week
Ah, the extraordinary period… that magical time of year when our beloved federal representatives decide to compensate for months of procrastination with a week of intense work (or at least that’s what they promise). The Chamber of Deputies, in an act of ambition worthy of a student who leaves everything until the night before the exam, plans to discuss 27 issues in what appears to be a legislative marathon. Spoiler: you’ll probably end up like all of us after a day of Netflix: exhausted and with more questions than answers.
The shopping list (but in law version)
Among the star issues that adorn this list are the new National Guard Law (because who doesn’t love a good debate on security forces?), the transfer of powers from Coneval to Inegi (an administrative drama worthy of a soap opera), and the always exciting Telecommunications Law. As if that were not enough, they also intend to issue the Law of the National Investigation and Intelligence System in matters of public security, because clearly there are not enough acronyms in the government.
But wait, there’s more! Like those midnight infomercials, the list includes reforms to Social Security (to make unemployment retirement as complicated as assembling an IKEA piece of furniture without instructions), a law to eliminate red tape (level irony: Mexico), and adjustments to railroad laws (because trains are the topic of the century… or something like that).
The heavy: disappearances and vapers (yes, you read that right)
Among the most serious issues is the reform of the General Law on Forced Disappearances, an urgent matter that, frankly, deserves more than a hasty debate between coffees and meetings. And as a surreal contrast, there is also the modification to the General Health Law to regulate vapers. Because nothing says “national priorities” like discussing e-cigarettes alongside atrocious crimes.
In case anyone doubted the variety, the Presidency could add five more reforms, including changes to the Federal Code of Criminal Procedures and the Federal Law against Organized Crime. Basically, it’s as if they had done a raffle of songs and decided to put them all in a single week.
The extraordinary period is tentatively scheduled for June 23 to 30, although the Permanent Commission still needs to approve it. Translation: There’s a 50% chance this will end in “we’ll leave it for later.”
The verdict? An agenda as ambitious as it is unrealistic, with topics ranging from the crucial to the “really this can’t wait?”. Of course, if they manage to get even half of it, it will be a miracle comparable to your ex returning your messages.
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