Mexico and its energy “self-sufficiency”: a story with a foreign protagonist
Ah, how nice that “energy self-sufficiency” sounds. As beautiful as it is unreal. Senator Olga Sosa, in a burst of optimism worthy of a campaign speech, assured that Mexico is moving towards energy independence… thanks to an Australian company. Yes, because nothing screams “we do it alone” like depending on Woodside Energy, a company that, by the way, is investing more than Pemex in the Trion project. Irony? No, here we call it “strategic collaboration”.
The forum where everyone applauds (and no one asks)
At the Trion Leadership Forum—an event whose name sounds more like a meeting of oil superheroes than a serious debate—the usual suspects gathered: diplomats, executives and officials congratulating each other on “encouraging progress”. Among them, the director of Pemex, Víctor Rodríguez Padilla, who was surely busy thinking about how to save the parastatal from its eternal crisis, and Stephane Drouaud, from Woodside, who was probably wondering why Mexico insists on talking about self-sufficiency while signing checks to foreign companies.
“They have increased investment,” says Sosa, as if that were the government’s merit. Of course, because leasing floating ships and purchasing drilling services are just the actions one expects from a country that “no longer depends on anyone”. But hey, at least there are “clear rules”… for the private ones. Because Pemex, that one does operate in total opacity.
The Tamaulipas talent and other fictions
The senator also welcomed that Woodside included “local talent” in the project. How generous! Although one wonders: wasn’t the government the one that should train its own people? Oh, no, right, better that an Australian company do it while we fill our mouths with speeches about “energy sovereignty”. Of course, there is no shortage of the classic “job creation”, that wild card that justifies any questionable alliance. Of course, no one mentions whether these jobs pay in dollars or in promises.
And if that were not enough, even the Navy is involved in the matter. Because nothing says “national project” like having to explain to an admiral how foreign technology works that, theoretically, we should master. But hey, at least the Tamaulipas cadets will learn something useful… even if it is in English and with translated manuals.
Self-sufficiency or self-aggrandizement? Mexico continues playing at being an energy power while others do the heavy lifting. But hey, at least the speeches sound good.
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