New president of Mexico discards opulent trappings of the office
MEXICO CITY — Mexico’s newly inaugurated president hit the ground running Monday with his pledge to govern as a common man and end decades of secrecy, heavy security and luxury enjoyed by past presidents.
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador sported slightly ruffled hair at his first news conference as president, which started at 7 a.m.
“Isn’t that a change, that I am here, informing you?” Lopez Obrador asked reporters. While past presidents very seldom held news conferences, Lopez Obrador promised to do so on a near-daily basis, much as he did when he was mayor of Mexico City from 2000 to 2005.
Lopez Obrador took his first flight as president Sunday, boarding a commercial airliner with the rest of the passengers.