Mexico’s populist president held court each morning for 6 years. Now he’s retiring from public life

Associated Press

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s daily morning media briefings have provided him with direct line to his political base throughout his nearly six years in office. Without pausing even to sip water, he stands at the podium for sometimes more than three hours. Often he goes off on rambling diatribes or roundabout musings, all in simple language that anyone tuning in can understand. The briefings are beloved by supporters and criticized by opponents as full of falsehoods and personal attacks. Before López Obrador leaves office Monday, they are also emblematic of the folksy populism that made him one of Mexico’s most powerful political forces in decades.