MEXICO CITY, May 12 ― Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador yesterday defended one of his allies and potential successors, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum, who faced growing scrutiny over a deadly metro crash.

The show of support came as Sheinbaum's administration rejected the conclusions of an independent investigation into the disaster that left 26 people dead after an elevated section of track collapsed in May 2021.

The studies by Norwegian engineering company DNV, which was commissioned by City Hall, contained various "deficiencies and inconsistencies,” a senior Mexico City official, Myriam Urzua, told reporters.

DNV's final report, submitted at the end of February, "did not meet the requested specifications,” she said.

"They did not present alternative hypotheses to investigate,” Urzua added.

DNV's first two reports blamed structural failures in the damaged metro line, which was inaugurated in 2012 under then mayor Marcelo Ebrard, now foreign minister and also a presidential hopeful.

According to the Spanish newspaper El Pais, the latest report points to a lack of maintenance as one of the reasons for the collapse, which would raise questions for Sheinbaum, who took office in 2018.

Sheinbaum has criticised DNV's final report, which has not been published, as "badly done” and "used for political purposes.”

Lopez Obrador told reporters yesterday that Sheinbaum was "an upright and honest woman” who "is being subjected to strong pressure.”

Following the crash, Mexican magnate Carlos Slim, whose company built most of the damaged section, promised to pay for its reconstruction.

But some relatives and survivors want it to be demolished and have refused to sign "reparation agreements” with the billionaire's Grupo Carso. ― AFP