Minister of Infrastructure, Communications and Transport Jorge Arganis Díaz-Leal (left) welcomes the new director of Mexico City Airport, Carlos Ignacio Velázquez Tiscareño.RR SS
The military adds another seat of power. Vice Admiral Carlos Ignacio Velázquez Tiscareño was appointed this Thursday as the new director of Mexico City’s International Airport (AICM), the country’s main air gateway. The sailor replaces Carlos Morán, whose leadership has been fraught with controversy. In recent months, users have reported flight delays and the overcrowded facilities being neglected. In addition, several incidents of aircraft aborting landings have been reported. The Infrastructure, Communications and Transport Secretariat issued a statement saying the transition started this Thursday.
Complaints about the quality of care at the AICM have become a constant. In mid-May, two planes had to depart shortly before landing because another plane occupied the runway. The dissemination of videos of the events caused a wave of concern among travelers and prompted the government to force the departure of the Director of Navigation Services in Mexico Airspace (Seneam), the body in charge of air traffic controllers.
Now it’s the airport director’s turn. Carlos Morán was Secretary of State for Transport before being appointed head of the AICM in January, with the task of relaunching the airport’s operations. Just a few days ago, the official warned about the overloading of facilities and the delay of flights caused by this situation. “Anyone who insists that the AICM is not saturated is wrong. We are not doing well, we have a lot of delays and a high season is imminent,” he explained in an interview with the specialist media A21.
The appointment of a military man to replace Morán is not surprising. The Navy Minister has been responsible for security at AICM and six other airports since February, replacing the National Guard. Previously, Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s administration had also entrusted him with security in seaports. “It’s not militarization, it’s increasing surveillance in ports, (…) the support of a fundamental institution of the Mexican state is required,” the president said at the time.
The intervention of the armed forces has left a mark on López Obrador’s management in almost every area, including aeronautics. The Navy was not the only beneficiary of this trend towards the militarization of public life. The defense minister built and currently operates Felipe Ángeles International Airport, the alternative to the ailing AICM. And another soldier, General Carlos Antonio Rodríguez Munguía, heads the Federal Bureau of Civil Aviation.
Velázquez Tiscareño is a retired aviator pilot with a long career in the armed forces as an aviation squadron commander. He also has a career as director of aviation facilities in various government agencies.
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