For the last few days, it’s been El Chapo this, El Chapo that. Even we can’t stop writing about him tunneling his way out of prison. Understandably, the news shook Mexico, where it actually happened, drowning out important news about the country’s future that was announced shortly after. The Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS) and the Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers (ISSSTE) are on the brink of financial collapse. Unlike the U.S., Mexico’s social security system refers to both healthcare and retirement benefits, meaning that for those who can’t afford private insurance, this is scary stuff.
With El Chapo hogging headlines, some are convinced that his escape is a little too well-timed and that the details of his breakout are sketchy at best. Conspiracy theorists are accusing the government of letting El Chapo go so that people’s attention would be turned to one man, instead of the millions of people who would be affected by IMSS and ISSSTE filing for bankruptcy. A lot of what has been reported about El Chapo’s escape has never entirely made sense, but this would be another level of fucked up if it turns out to be true. It has been rumored that the government releases bad news when people are least paying attention.
Read more about the crisis at Aristegui Noticias here.