There's been a lot of back and forth regarding the willingness of lack thereof of Alejandro Encinas to accept an alliance with PAN should a consulta popular or vote among both parties' members support it.
Yet in a meeting with Nueva Izquierda, the social-democratic and largest faction of the PRD from which its national president hails from, Encinas declared he would accept an alliance with PAN if the people wants so.
That is pretty important news, and vastly more significant than the PT's public refusal, also announced yesterday, to engage in any alliance with the PAN; this "Workers Party," duly in quotation marks, will join the alliance if Encinas does so.
(and a side note: El Universal reported the first story, while La Jornada only reported the second...)
Thursday, January 20, 2011
More on Peña Nieto's trailer
The trailer intercepted in Guerrero chock full of foodstuff handouts with the logo of the DIF agency of Mexico State, was apparently found at the house of a PANAL teacher. The PANAL-PRI alliance certainly seems fully sealed even in Mexico State, where SNTE leader Elba Esther Gordillo has thrown her lot quite openly with Governor Enrique Peña Nieto.
Adriana Rico García, head of the DIF in Mexico State, rejected that the food came from her state, yet the PRD national leader Jesús Ortega showed the boxes to reporters, clearly embossed with the DIF and Mexico State logo.
Adriana Rico García, head of the DIF in Mexico State, rejected that the food came from her state, yet the PRD national leader Jesús Ortega showed the boxes to reporters, clearly embossed with the DIF and Mexico State logo.
Image from El Universal
Left alliance in Michoacán sealed
Much water will flow under the bridge until the November elections in Michoacán, where the state will elect a new governor, 113 municipal heads, and 40 local deputies, yet the left - the PRD, and its less-than-reliable partners the PT and Convergencia did agree to field a common candidate, national PRD leader Jesús Ortega announced yesterday in the state capital of Morelia.
The Gordillo joke was real: "Mama, vote for Nueva Alianza"
See the image for yourself:
It gets better: SNTE has even made the children fold and prepare election material! They have also brought home coupons asking their parents to buy goods and food products benefiting PANAL.
SNTE and PANAL have gone too far: The party may and should lose its registry. As for the SNTE union: When will anyone dare to take on these hacks?
Añorve campaign repeats dirty tricks from last campaign: Fake newspapers
When Manuel Añorve ran for mayor of Acapulco in 2008, his supporters produced a fake version of the newspaper El Sur, where the front page declared in bold, "Walton recognizes the triumph of Añorve."
Now it seems they've done it again: Today's regional La Jornada edition had the following image:
The headline state, "Ángel Aguirre lose the debate," referring to the debate held the night before between Aguirre and Añorve, the two front runners to be the next governor of Guerrero.
The problem: The newspaper is fake, yet was distributed, in real-looking newsprint, to thousands of homes as well as newspaper stand, reportedly by Añorve activists.
The PRI campaign appears increasingly desperate as its once-safe Guerrero victory has turned into a very probable defeat, and a victory for Aguirre. They have a more than 8-decades long history of subverting democracy in Mexico; expect them to pull out many more dirty tricks before the election the end of this month.
Now it seems they've done it again: Today's regional La Jornada edition had the following image:
The problem: The newspaper is fake, yet was distributed, in real-looking newsprint, to thousands of homes as well as newspaper stand, reportedly by Añorve activists.
The PRI campaign appears increasingly desperate as its once-safe Guerrero victory has turned into a very probable defeat, and a victory for Aguirre. They have a more than 8-decades long history of subverting democracy in Mexico; expect them to pull out many more dirty tricks before the election the end of this month.
"Daddy, if you love me vote for Elba Esther." More fallout from SNTE/PANAL scandal as dissidents speak out
Dissidents from the SNTE teacher union opposed to the dictatorial rule of Elba Esther Gordillo appear to increasingly speak out against the outrageous practices of Gordillo's troops. In one case, in Mexico State, teacher Pedro Ramírez Vázquez of the dissident (anti-Gordillo) Section 36 of SNTE said that in some schools, teachers have asked the young pupils to bring them a copy of their parents voting card (!)
What is next? Instructing the kids to tell their parents, "Daddy, if you really love me, can you please vote for PANAL?"
What is next? Instructing the kids to tell their parents, "Daddy, if you really love me, can you please vote for PANAL?"
New rule: If you want to be president, you can't be afraid of Elba Esther Gordillo
Senators of all political stripes demand that the Education ministry (SEP), headed by Alonso Lujambio, take action against the outrageous action of Elba Esther Gordillo's SNTE union, which has handed out electoral material to children in primary and secondary schools, and solicited private data from them and their parents.
Even PAN senators such as Ricardo García Cervantes accuse education secretary Lujambio of not having the guts to take on the all-powerful Gordillo. Note that Lujambio has on more than one occasion hinted at his desire to be president of Mexico. In this regard, standing up, for just once in his career, to Gordillo would be a first positive step toward his PAN nomination
Even PAN senators such as Ricardo García Cervantes accuse education secretary Lujambio of not having the guts to take on the all-powerful Gordillo. Note that Lujambio has on more than one occasion hinted at his desire to be president of Mexico. In this regard, standing up, for just once in his career, to Gordillo would be a first positive step toward his PAN nomination
Martín Esparza (SME) in the House, "Economist of the Year" and accusations of illicit enrichment
Martín Esparza went to the Chamber of Deputies to demand the creation of a new company to replace the now-extinct Luz y Fuerza, a state company whose business has been taken over by another state company, the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE). Esparza's union has in the past months achieved notoriety by attacking and destroying CFE installations, as well as physically and verbally harassing the state workers of CFE.
In the Chamber, however, Esparza faced direct accusations of "scandalous and offensive" illicit enrichment, in the words of PAN national deputy Ivideliza Reyes who responded to Esparza's intervention:
Ouch. Reyes also claimed Esparza owns two more properties in the exclusive Quinta San Francisco neighborhood.Dirty, baseless accusations or an accurate description of Esparza's patrimonio? Esparza didn't respond directly but alluded to a lawsuit against Reyes. We'll see.
In the Chamber, however, Esparza faced direct accusations of "scandalous and offensive" illicit enrichment, in the words of PAN national deputy Ivideliza Reyes who responded to Esparza's intervention:
"We should give Martin Esparza the award of Economist of theYEar, as on a payroll salary of 335.26 pesos per day, or 10057 each month or 122,370 per year, he has a ranch, called Los Encinas, of 37.5 hecaters, located in Juandhó, Hidalgo, that features a charro, stables, horses from Europe, breeding place for roosters, and facilities for parties...
"Martin, how dare you ask your union members to vote for you, how dare you to ask them to re-elect you every time, and how dare you come to this Chamber to demand that they create a new company for you? Why do you continue to enrich yourselff? Why do you keep stealing from Mexico?"
Ouch. Reyes also claimed Esparza owns two more properties in the exclusive Quinta San Francisco neighborhood.Dirty, baseless accusations or an accurate description of Esparza's patrimonio? Esparza didn't respond directly but alluded to a lawsuit against Reyes. We'll see.
Ever dirtier in Guerrero: Trailer full with hand-outs intercepted from Mexico State
In Guerrero, the left coalition Guerrero Nos Une, behind the candidacy of Ángel Aguirre Rivero, revealed that they had intercepted a full semi trailer in Acapulco loaded with food hand outs, with markings alluding to the Mexico State DIF, and also including electoral material from Elba Esther Gordillo's Panal party.
Note that the PRD recently denounced several governors, including Enrique Peña Nieto, for interfering in the election with trinkets and handouts. Here is what appears to be hard evidence for the accusations.
Note that the PRD recently denounced several governors, including Enrique Peña Nieto, for interfering in the election with trinkets and handouts. Here is what appears to be hard evidence for the accusations.
(From Milenio)
Finally, an IFE ruling against Peña Nieto: Used public funds for own gain
It was long in coming: A ruling by the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) in disfavor of Enrique Peña Nieto. As has been noted here at other occasions, IFE in the past year has very rarely offered any decision against the Mexico State Governor, yet now the institute accepted as legitimate a complaint by PAN that Peña Nieto, in relation with his 5th Informe or State of the State, used public funds for a systematic diffusion of TV ads promoting his personae, as Peña Nieto took the liberty of airing these "spots" not just in Mexico State, but all over the country - all at taxpayers' expense.
While this is illegal, IFE as of yet does not have any means of sanctioning Peña Nieto - the nature of the case was a first - but sent the case over to the Mexico State comptroller.
Of note: IFE councilors (three more still need to be appointed) Marco Antonio Baños and Francisco Guerrero voted against, while Alfredo Figueroa, Macarita Elizondo, Benito Nacif, and Leonardo Valdés, the IFE president, voted in favor of PAN's complaint.
While this is illegal, IFE as of yet does not have any means of sanctioning Peña Nieto - the nature of the case was a first - but sent the case over to the Mexico State comptroller.
Of note: IFE councilors (three more still need to be appointed) Marco Antonio Baños and Francisco Guerrero voted against, while Alfredo Figueroa, Macarita Elizondo, Benito Nacif, and Leonardo Valdés, the IFE president, voted in favor of PAN's complaint.
SME inching ever closer to PRI and Enrique Peña Nieto
The Mexican syndicate of electricians (SME) is moving ever closer to the PRI camp. Despite the tolerance that Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard has shown toward their countless demonstrations and outright thuggery in Mexico City, many reports indicate that the union is trying to sell itself to the next/highest bidder.
Secretary General Martín Esparza announced that SME will be backed by a SNTE section from PRI-run Coahuila state in its next march, and that 80 PRI national deputies belonging to the Confederación Nacional Campesina (CNC) are backing their demand for a new electricity company in Mexico City, to replace the state Luz y Fuerza company that was dissolved by the federal government last year.
In addition, Esparza said the SME would also march toward the governor palace in Mexico State, where a majority of the SME members come from, to demand that Peña Nieto backs them.
How quickly Esparza and SME forgot about all the assistance and support from various leftwing and social organizations, as well as the city government itself, in Mexico City. Millions of inhabitants saw their travel interrupted from the many marches the SME held the past months, and voices called on Ebrard to say enough is enough. With the seeming decision of SME to jump in bed with the PRI, I wonder what Ebrard actually gained from the permissive attitudes toward the SME the past year.
Secretary General Martín Esparza announced that SME will be backed by a SNTE section from PRI-run Coahuila state in its next march, and that 80 PRI national deputies belonging to the Confederación Nacional Campesina (CNC) are backing their demand for a new electricity company in Mexico City, to replace the state Luz y Fuerza company that was dissolved by the federal government last year.
In addition, Esparza said the SME would also march toward the governor palace in Mexico State, where a majority of the SME members come from, to demand that Peña Nieto backs them.
How quickly Esparza and SME forgot about all the assistance and support from various leftwing and social organizations, as well as the city government itself, in Mexico City. Millions of inhabitants saw their travel interrupted from the many marches the SME held the past months, and voices called on Ebrard to say enough is enough. With the seeming decision of SME to jump in bed with the PRI, I wonder what Ebrard actually gained from the permissive attitudes toward the SME the past year.
A damning indictment of education in Mexico and the SNTE teachers union
There might be lies, damned lies, and then statistics, but nevertheless: These figures mean something.
Despite the incentive of a salary hike ranging from 20 to 150 percent of their basic salary, only 32 percent of teachers in primary and secondary education agreed to take an evaluation test of their skills.
According to the ministry of education (SEP), out of 1,156,506 teachers in the country, only 635,051 showed any interest in taking the evaluative test. And of the latter group, only 377,460 actually followed through.
The SNTE, the teacher union led by president-for-life Elba Esther Gordillo, has fought tooth and nail against most any form of evaluative mechanism of Mexico's teachers. Note that the evaluation mentioned was moreover wholly voluntary, yet with a significant monetary bonus: 68 percent still refused to take it.
El Universal also informs us that SNTE didn't respond to a a request for comments. Fair enough: How does one rationalize away these statistics?
Despite the incentive of a salary hike ranging from 20 to 150 percent of their basic salary, only 32 percent of teachers in primary and secondary education agreed to take an evaluation test of their skills.
According to the ministry of education (SEP), out of 1,156,506 teachers in the country, only 635,051 showed any interest in taking the evaluative test. And of the latter group, only 377,460 actually followed through.
The SNTE, the teacher union led by president-for-life Elba Esther Gordillo, has fought tooth and nail against most any form of evaluative mechanism of Mexico's teachers. Note that the evaluation mentioned was moreover wholly voluntary, yet with a significant monetary bonus: 68 percent still refused to take it.
El Universal also informs us that SNTE didn't respond to a a request for comments. Fair enough: How does one rationalize away these statistics?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)