Sunday, August 12, 2012

Peña Nieto's narco photos

The PRI politician Rafael Humberto Celaya Valenzuela was arrested in Spain Friday with other presumed members of the Sinaloa cartel. Here are two photos of Celaya with, as he is referred to in media these days, "the candidate who received the most votes in the presidential election" (pending the tribunal verdict in September): Enrique Peña Nieto.

Don't expect Televisa or Milenio to cover this story.

Calderón signs thinned-out political reform

Calderón's political reform - it is referred to as the political reform, as it was originally a relatively broad-reaching and comprehensive proposal when it was launched in 2009, and is the only major such during his sexenio - was signed by the president last week. It includes 8 components:

* Citizen initiatives (to be introduced into Congress)
* Independent candidacies (but not for president)
* Popular consultations allowed (referenda)
* "Preferential initiative" from the president (a type of fast-track authority where president can send two initiatives per congressional period to be voted on within 30 days)
* Review of the public accounts prolonged one month
* Senate will ratify regulatory organs of telecommunications, energy, and economic competition
* Presidential succession established if something happens to the executive (the Interior Secretary would take over until Congress names an interim or substitute president)
* Alternative ways for presidential swearing-in (recall 2006 here)

Key original components that Congress removed from the reform, and which interior secretary Alejandro Poiré designated "pending," are: reelection of lawmakers and mayors, reducing number of lawmakers, a second round in the presidential election, allowing Supreme Court to present law initiatives, presidential veto over budget, and others.

Here's a graphic from El Universal on the changes:
El Universal
Source:
Ocho cambios en materia política. El Universal, Aug. 9, 2012
Calderón firma decreto de la reforma política. El Universal, Aug. 9, 2012
Promulga Calderón la reforma política. La Jornada, Aug. 9, 2012

Former mayor murdered for refusing drug gangs

Former mayor Margarito Genchi Casiano of Florencio Villarreal, Guerrero, was murdered in June ahead of the elections when he sought to become a local deputy in the legislature.

According to authorities, which have now arrested six presumed culprits from the fittingly entitled outfit Comando del Diablo, Genchi was murdered because he "did not want to align" with them.

A sad story that again belies the charade that only those guilty of "something" are the ones who die in Calderón's war.

Source:
Caen seis presuntos asesinos de ex edil. El Universal, Aug. 9, 2012