Mexican President López Obrador said on the 3rd that he did not intend to hire a new person to replace Alfonso Romo, the outgoing chief of staff of the presidential palace, but was going to abolish the entire office to save government funds.
López announced on the 2nd that Romo was about to leave the “big housekeeper” position in the presidential palace, but he would continue to use his network advantages in the business community to serve as a bridge between the government and the private sector.
Government sources said that the total number of employees in the presidential palace is about 1,000, Romo has been in office for two years, and the office has only about 40 employees. After Romo leaves office, most of his men will be assigned to other government agencies.
“We no longer keep office posts because [Romo] will assist me as a non-government official, and we can also use it to save money,” Lopez said.
Reuters reported that Lopez, who belongs to the left-wing camp, is cautious about expanding the participation of private enterprises in key industries such as energy development. Romo is one of the few entrepreneurs in Mexico that strongly supports López’s rule.
Citing the forecast analysis of Tenho, a US consulting firm, the report said that the abolition of Romo’s post may have a negative impact on the Mexican government’s relationship with the private business community, but the role played by Romo during his tenure should not be exaggerated.
