It’s a little hard for me to wrap my head around a new government which absolutely worships Benito Juarez… the “patron saint” of the separation of Church and State with a President whose inauguration held what might be construed as a religious ritual (the indigenous cleansing ceremony), but let brancthat pass. What is really a transformation is the Archbishop of Mexico City, Cardinal Aguiar Retes not just coming out in favor of AMLO’s programs, but actively urging hold-outs to the Salary reduction plan to rethink their positions… for the good of the country, and their soul.

While there are legal arguments to be made for defending the judiary’s rights to set their own compensation packages… based on various factors… when a Supreme Court justice receives a salary and benefits packing over five times that of the President, there is at least a perception of judges unjustly looking out for the good of themselves, not the good of all.

Incidentally, the Secretary of Public Finance also suggested yesterday that private business executives also could scale back their compensation packages, though her rationale is that otherwise, public sector executives will jump to the private sector.

But, as sayeth His Eminence… it’s a moral and ethical issue. By the way, his salary is about 900 US$ a month (the highest paid cleric in the country), but that doesn’t include benefits.

SinEmbargo, Once Noticas.