Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum vowed to boost natural gas production, including via fracking, as she looks to reduce her country’s dependence on US imports and tame soaring fuel prices sparked by the Iran war.
The move would mark a major reversal for the former climate scientist and her party; she vowed to never allow fracking, which many environmentalists condemn.
Despite having vast oil and gas reserves, Mexico is a net importer of fuels, notably from the US, which has threatened to use them as leverage in trade negotiations. Gasoline costs in Mexico have jumped in recent weeks amid a global energy shock, with Sheinbaum threatening to intervene if gas station operators raise prices too much.