Saturday, October 1, 2011

Blake Mora: "Not a single casino more" rings pathetically hollow

Mexico's dour and virtually non-existent Interior Secretary José Francisco Blake Mora, came out loudly yesterday against casinos, declaring that "not one more" will be allowed.

It begs the question: Why did the PAN for the last ten years allow the establishment of these semi-criminal dens, which bring nothing but misery to the areas where they are established, and, it has again and again be proven, lead to more crime in the area?

These thoroughly immoral - in the true sense of the word - establishments should never have allowed in the first place.

I very strongly recommend Denise Dresser's recent anti-casino column in Proceso in this regard.

No reelection of legislators and mayors after committee member switches vote

More negative news this week, unfortunately: No reelection of mayors or legislators

Having passed in the Senate, there was actually a good chance that the Reforma polìtica of Calderón would finally pass, though it is now much-changed, not all for the better.

It looked like finally Mexico would have reelection, but in the Chamber´s Constitutional commission, one PRD legislator, having earlier voted in favor of a dictamen or opinion, broke with her party to abstain, with the result that the reform, opposed by PRI and the PVEM "Green" party (though not in the Senate, where Peña Nieto has far less sway), will likely not include reelection of legislators and local mayors- a big demand from many holds, including several key civil society organizations.

The PRD legislator, Dina Herrera Soto, from Michoacán, was removed from the Commission by her party, which strongly insinuates that Herrera changed her vote after pressure-enticement from the PRI.

Circumstantial evidence for the above accusation: When she later walked into the Chamber's main hall, she was greeted with applause by the PRI.

I wonder what her price was.