Noteworthy language from President Felipe Calderón: Asked by a journalist on the political agreement that saw Elba Esther Gordillo appoint three top-level political positions in return for her electoral support on voting day, July 2 2006, he responded:
"This does not imply, and this is an important clarification, that there was a license to plunder these institutions"
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Arturo Valenzuela: PRI has changed
Arturo Valenzuela is nearing the end of not an exactly stellar tenure as Subsecretary for the Western Hemisphere - the U.S. State Department's highest diplomatic post for Latin America - and one might expect him to speak a bit more freely on a few subjects.
To a group of Mexican journalists, he gave his opinion of the PRI:
"I do not agree with the idea that here there is a party of dinosaurs... Frankly, I see renovation in the PRI. I see new sectors. I see new people. One has done an enormous effort to try to modernize the party."
As for his analysis, I couldn't disagree more. What "modernization" have we seen in the PRI, when the "new" faces of Humberto Moreira, Eruviel Ávila, Enrique Peña Nieto etc, merely continue exactly the same clientelistic and authoritarian practices of the "old" PRI?
What a parting gift to the PRI! Thanks for nothing, Arturo.
To a group of Mexican journalists, he gave his opinion of the PRI:
"I do not agree with the idea that here there is a party of dinosaurs... Frankly, I see renovation in the PRI. I see new sectors. I see new people. One has done an enormous effort to try to modernize the party."
As for his analysis, I couldn't disagree more. What "modernization" have we seen in the PRI, when the "new" faces of Humberto Moreira, Eruviel Ávila, Enrique Peña Nieto etc, merely continue exactly the same clientelistic and authoritarian practices of the "old" PRI?
What a parting gift to the PRI! Thanks for nothing, Arturo.
On September 15, Enrique Peña Nieto will declare his desire to be president
Enrique Peña Nieto said that on the day he leaves his post as governor of Mexico State, he will declare whether he is running for President of Mexico. That day is Sept. 15, which means that it will still be two more months until he makes it official.
Ulises Ruiz's government: 13 key cabinet officials stole 4 billion pesos
A couple of days ago, Perla Woorlichs Fernández, the state comptroller of Oaxaca, announced that a whopping 32 public servants of Ulises Ruiz's government, including 13 in key cabinet positions, are implicated in the stealing of almost four billion pesos.
This is only a partial result of the ongoing investigation into Ruiz' disastrous rule of Oaxaca, 2004-2010.
It is important to note that just a month before leaving power, Ruiz' PRI-controlled congress trumped through a law that depenalized embezzlement. It is probably the only far-sighted measure taken by the priístas.
Now, current governor Gabino Cué calls on Ruiz himself for an explanation, and pointedly noted, "he is not exempt."
Here is a great PDF graphic that outlines where the money was allegedly - very probably - stolen from.
This is only a partial result of the ongoing investigation into Ruiz' disastrous rule of Oaxaca, 2004-2010.
It is important to note that just a month before leaving power, Ruiz' PRI-controlled congress trumped through a law that depenalized embezzlement. It is probably the only far-sighted measure taken by the priístas.
Now, current governor Gabino Cué calls on Ruiz himself for an explanation, and pointedly noted, "he is not exempt."
Here is a great PDF graphic that outlines where the money was allegedly - very probably - stolen from.
Historic Mexican Supreme Court decision: Civilian trials for military accused of human rights abuses
A historic decision by Mexico's Supreme Court: Military personnel that commit human rights abuses are now to be tried in civilian courts, and not military, as has been the practice until now, known as fuero militar.
Organizations such as Human Rights Watch already praised the decision by the Supreme Court, which was moreover unanimous. It reverses the practice of the past 70 years, and follows the recent ruling against Mexico by the Inter-American Human Rights Court, which dealt with Rosendo Radilla, a decaparecida social leader in Guerrero in 1974, which found Mexico's practice incompatible with its human rights charter and international obligations.
Senators and deputies from all major parties - PAN, PRI, PRD - hailed the decision. That is great news.
Yet there were also negative voices. Probably the most hysterical response to the court's ruling comes from Carlos Marín, who in his column suggests that recent successful operations by the army, such as liberating 20 or so hostages in Monterrey a few days back, will no longer be possible. Does he truly believe his own reactionary nonsense?
Organizations such as Human Rights Watch already praised the decision by the Supreme Court, which was moreover unanimous. It reverses the practice of the past 70 years, and follows the recent ruling against Mexico by the Inter-American Human Rights Court, which dealt with Rosendo Radilla, a decaparecida social leader in Guerrero in 1974, which found Mexico's practice incompatible with its human rights charter and international obligations.
Senators and deputies from all major parties - PAN, PRI, PRD - hailed the decision. That is great news.
Yet there were also negative voices. Probably the most hysterical response to the court's ruling comes from Carlos Marín, who in his column suggests that recent successful operations by the army, such as liberating 20 or so hostages in Monterrey a few days back, will no longer be possible. Does he truly believe his own reactionary nonsense?
Excellent overview of the petroleum situation in Mexico
This overview by Eurasiareview on Mexican petroleum, including the status of Pemex and its current reserves, is very comprehensive and timely, and well worth a read.
Petroleum is declining in relative importance - it accounts for 14 percent of export earnings - yet as a cash cow to cover the federal budget, it remains critically important - a whopping third of the state's revenues.
Petroleum is declining in relative importance - it accounts for 14 percent of export earnings - yet as a cash cow to cover the federal budget, it remains critically important - a whopping third of the state's revenues.
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