The PRD presented an initiative in the Mexican senate to regulate the debt of Mexico's state - essentially, to make debt contraction more transparent and avoid bankruptcy in public finances.
The measure is very likely inspired by the case of Coahuila, but many other states, the vast majority PRI led, are also in danger of financial collapse after having contracted far too much debt on their own.
From what I recall, this is essentially what many states in Brazil did as well as part of a process of de-centralization of power - though they ended up heavily indebted in the process, and eventually had to strike a deal with the federal government. If any reader has a good summary / recommended read about this period in Brazil, I'd appreciate a tip.
Monday, November 7, 2011
PRD's internal election, almost final chapter
PRD held what was to be the final leg of its internal elections Sunday.
However, it only succeeded in doing so in Veracruz, Zacatecas, and Mexico City - elections were cancelled in Oaxaca and Chiapas. As it were, René Bejarano, almost comically trying to look like a mafioso, called for a political trial of Governor Juan Sabines in Chiapas for allegedly interfering in the elections.
All in all 8, eight coincilors were elected from Veracruz, 10 from Zacatecas, and 46 from the PRD bastion Mexico City. Still, around 40 are yet to be elected from Oaxaca and Chiapas, as well as Michoacán, where the gubernatorial election had already ensured that the party election would be postponed.
Hopefully for the PRD, Mexico's electoral tribunal, which mandated the election following a complaint from a PRD senator, will accept that the party has completed, more or less, the process - the deadline was Nov. 15, and I strongly doubt the party is capable of arranging elections for a third time in Oaxaca and Chiapas already by next weekend.
However, it only succeeded in doing so in Veracruz, Zacatecas, and Mexico City - elections were cancelled in Oaxaca and Chiapas. As it were, René Bejarano, almost comically trying to look like a mafioso, called for a political trial of Governor Juan Sabines in Chiapas for allegedly interfering in the elections.
All in all 8, eight coincilors were elected from Veracruz, 10 from Zacatecas, and 46 from the PRD bastion Mexico City. Still, around 40 are yet to be elected from Oaxaca and Chiapas, as well as Michoacán, where the gubernatorial election had already ensured that the party election would be postponed.
Hopefully for the PRD, Mexico's electoral tribunal, which mandated the election following a complaint from a PRD senator, will accept that the party has completed, more or less, the process - the deadline was Nov. 15, and I strongly doubt the party is capable of arranging elections for a third time in Oaxaca and Chiapas already by next weekend.
Abortion, automatic excommunication
Archbishop Norberto Rivera, head of the Mexican church informs the people that any woman who has an abortion -any abortion, for any reason - will be automatically excommunicated from the Catholic church, as will anyone assisting her.
It takes quite of bit of chutzpah to take on the role of god's enforcer, especially when you have through the years consistently protected pedophiles and pederasts in the church - yet Rivera isn't exactly known for his temerity nor compassion for his flock. Now he takes it upon himself to decide who goes to hell, and who does not.
At least Víctor Sánchez Espinosa, archbishop of Puebla, is somewhat more reasonable, calling for women who have an abortion, either by their free will forced by third parties, not to be thrown in jail.
It takes quite of bit of chutzpah to take on the role of god's enforcer, especially when you have through the years consistently protected pedophiles and pederasts in the church - yet Rivera isn't exactly known for his temerity nor compassion for his flock. Now he takes it upon himself to decide who goes to hell, and who does not.
At least Víctor Sánchez Espinosa, archbishop of Puebla, is somewhat more reasonable, calling for women who have an abortion, either by their free will forced by third parties, not to be thrown in jail.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Three way race in Michoacán, the atypical state
Marcelo Ebrard and Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas appeared with Silvano Aureoles Conejo, PRD's candidate for governor of Michoacán, for the campaign closing in Morelia, the state capital.
As this article in Milenio does a good job of outlining, this is truly a three-way race: PAN, PRI, and PRD all have a good chance of winning. PRD has the most extensive party structure and base, though it is hampered by the unpopular government of Leonel Godoy. PRI has the most money, and has been pouring in resources into the state, which it earlier declared as essential to winning the 2012 presidential race. PAN has the least developed party organization in Michoacán, but the candidate is president Calderón's sister, with big name recognition, and PAN has also dedicated enormous resources to win here, including repeated appearances by all its 2012 contenders. The PRD has complained that they have been competing not against a candidate, but against the federal government and its resources.
As this article in Milenio does a good job of outlining, this is truly a three-way race: PAN, PRI, and PRD all have a good chance of winning. PRD has the most extensive party structure and base, though it is hampered by the unpopular government of Leonel Godoy. PRI has the most money, and has been pouring in resources into the state, which it earlier declared as essential to winning the 2012 presidential race. PAN has the least developed party organization in Michoacán, but the candidate is president Calderón's sister, with big name recognition, and PAN has also dedicated enormous resources to win here, including repeated appearances by all its 2012 contenders. The PRD has complained that they have been competing not against a candidate, but against the federal government and its resources.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Rhetoric heats up in Michoacán following PAN mayor murder
* Luisa María Calderón Hinojosa, the president's sister who despite her promise to never run for office while her brother was president, is running to be governor of her home state Michoacán, attacked Governor Leonel Godoy of the PRD, essentially blaming him for the murder of PAN mayor Ricardo Guzmán Romero.
* The PRD, in turn, is accusing PAN of taking advantage of Guzmán's murder for political gain.
Note that 28 mayors have been killed in Calderón's sexenio - and 20 since 2010 alone.
* PAN is accused of naked clientelism - by the federal FEPADE. The La Fiscalía Especializada en Delitos Electorales (Fepade), or the organ under the attorney general dedicated to investigating electoral abuses, to its credit moved against employees from SEDESOL or the federal social development secretariat, is it apparently was trying to hand out sacks of cement - 27 tons! - in return for voters giving them their voter ID number as well as a promise to vote for PAN.
* The PRD, in turn, is accusing PAN of taking advantage of Guzmán's murder for political gain.
Note that 28 mayors have been killed in Calderón's sexenio - and 20 since 2010 alone.
* PAN is accused of naked clientelism - by the federal FEPADE. The La Fiscalía Especializada en Delitos Electorales (Fepade), or the organ under the attorney general dedicated to investigating electoral abuses, to its credit moved against employees from SEDESOL or the federal social development secretariat, is it apparently was trying to hand out sacks of cement - 27 tons! - in return for voters giving them their voter ID number as well as a promise to vote for PAN.
The coming PRD split, 2: GAP leaves the PRD in Mexico State
In Mexico State, Higinio Martínez Miranda has led the faction Grupo de Acción Política since the PRD's founding. While it has much weakened in recent years, due to the rise of the ADN and Nueva Izquierda democratic socialist and social-democratic factions, it remained an important part of the PRD.
Yet now GAP has also declared it is leaving the party. And it does so in what is unfortunately a classic manner: It lost the party's internal elections, and rather than to accept its minority status - and the outcome of the election, of course - it is leaving the party, likely for the PT or Movimiento Ciudadano or, once it becomes an official party, AMLO's MORENA.
At this point in Mexico's political development, a split in the left is very damaging in the short run, but perhaps not so in the long run. Let's recall that the other "left" - and the quotation marks are warranted - parties PT and Movimiento Ciudadano, while bleeding support from the PRD, would likely both have disappeared from the landscape had it not been for AMLO allowing them to use him for electoral benefit.
Yet now GAP has also declared it is leaving the party. And it does so in what is unfortunately a classic manner: It lost the party's internal elections, and rather than to accept its minority status - and the outcome of the election, of course - it is leaving the party, likely for the PT or Movimiento Ciudadano or, once it becomes an official party, AMLO's MORENA.
At this point in Mexico's political development, a split in the left is very damaging in the short run, but perhaps not so in the long run. Let's recall that the other "left" - and the quotation marks are warranted - parties PT and Movimiento Ciudadano, while bleeding support from the PRD, would likely both have disappeared from the landscape had it not been for AMLO allowing them to use him for electoral benefit.
The coming PRD split: Now IDN threatens to leave the party
IDN, the most discredited and corrupt of PRD's internal factions, is threatening to leave the party unless the party's internal state elections in Mexico State are annulled.
While obviously very damaging to the party in the short run - the IDN is among the largest of PRD's myriad of internal factions - I am increasingly moving to the conviction that given the discredit IDN has brought over the PRD (it is led by "Rubber band man" René Bejarano and his wife Dolores Padierna), it may be a price worth paying for the PRD if it wants to establish itself as a modern, socially liberal, left-wing party.
While obviously very damaging to the party in the short run - the IDN is among the largest of PRD's myriad of internal factions - I am increasingly moving to the conviction that given the discredit IDN has brought over the PRD (it is led by "Rubber band man" René Bejarano and his wife Dolores Padierna), it may be a price worth paying for the PRD if it wants to establish itself as a modern, socially liberal, left-wing party.
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