MEXPAZ: MEXICO UPDATE-141 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit MEXICO UPDATE #141 September 25, 1977 Produced by Equipo Pueblo This version of the Mexico Update contains three sections: Politics/Democracy/Elections; Human Rights/Justice and Economy/Trade. Comments welcome at e-mail: pueblodip@laneta.apc.org, Or by fax in Mexico City at (52-5) 672-7453 POLITICS/ DEMOCRACY/ELECTIONS PRI Senators Form Galileo Movement A group of reform-minded PRI senators has formed the "Galileo Movement" which, they claim, will see to ensure their autonomy from President Zedillo and the Executive branch. They insist that they are not party "dissidents" but say they will vote against the party line if they are not in agreement. Leaders of the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) questioned the authenticity of the groups reform agenda. (Reforma, 20 September) New Congress at Stand-Still The new Congress is at a stand-still less than one month after taking office because the parties have not been able to agree on who will control key commissions. Numerous legislators stopped attending the sessions, arguing that no work was being carried out. In response, a decision was made to fine those who do not attend with one day's pay for each day missed. The legislators make a generous salary of 34,000 pesos (about $4,500 dollars) tax-free. After missing ten sessions, the legislator's name will appear in the official record, and a notice will be sent to his/her district. (El Financiero, 21 September) Elections in the South-Southeastern States Members of the PRD from seven Mexican states, together with NGO activists, ratified their commitment to fight the hard line PRI governors that control their states, who were described as a "group of Salinista governors". The participants in the Second Forum of the South-Southeastern Front for Liberty, Democracy, Peace and Justice, agreed to offer technical and electoral support to the PRD's committees in states scheduled for upcoming elections, including Veracruz, Tabasco and Puebla. Also, they agreed to maintain the post-electoral struggle in Campeche until the PRI's Antonio Gonzalez Curi, gives up and a new interim governor, who would call for new elections, is named. (La Jornada, 22 September). Foreign Relations Secretary Gurria Before Congress Foreign Relations Secretary, Jose Angel Gurria, appeared before Congress as part of the legislative follow up to President's Zedillo State of the Union Address. He was severely criticized by PRD Deputy Carlos Heredia, who called him a "merchant" and a sell-out. Heredia warned of the dangerous tendency visible in the Mexican government's change in its traditional foreign policy. Gurria, however, maintained that Mexico is "stronger and more respected than ever" and said that Mexico would denounce the United States' violation of the convention of the rights of detained foreigners to seek support from their consulates, in response to the execution of Mexican citizen Mario Murphy in Virginia, before the United Nations. (La Jornada, Reforma, 20 September). HUMAN RIGHTS/JUSTICE Samuel Ruiz for a New Dialogue; Violence in Chenalho, Chiapas. The President of the National Mediation Commission (CONAI), Bishop Samuel Ruiz, declared that the "new situation" and the "new strength of certain actors" requires the establishment of a new model for dialogue between the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) and the federal government. During the two days in which the CONAI met in San Cristobal de las Casas, the Bishop said that one of the most worrisome signs of recurring violence is what had happened in the municipality of Chenalho on September 21, where militants of the PRI burned the houses of Zapatista followers, some of whom had to abandon their communities for fear of being attacked. He added that some people in Chenalho have been intimidated as a response to their refusal to contribute money to the federal army. (La Jornada, 22 September). Two indigenous members of the PRI were killed in a shoot out with Zapatistas in the region, and vengeance is expected. (La Jornada, 23 September). Zapatistas Condemn Violence in Chenalho, Chiapas. Representatives of twelve autonomous municipalities in Chiapas said that the recent acts of violence in Chenalho provoked by "paramilitary groups, represented the government's reaction "to the Zapatista march to Mexico City." They said that "every time the Zapatistas take political and peaceful actions to defend the rightful claims of the indigenous people-- the government responds with violence, repression, assassinations, persecution and the provocation of war". According to the Zapatistas, the government is "applying a low intensity war against indigenous people and sympathizers of the Zapatistas" . They announced a protest on September 25 in Chenalho. (La Jornada, 24 September). EZLN March into Mexico City Ends The military and political commands of the EZLN will meet in the next few days to evaluate the political impact of their march to Mexico City in which 1,111 rebels participated. Commander Ezequiel said that, while he expected civil society to take the banner of peaceful struggle, the Zapatistas were ready for "whatever may come: either the political route or the armed one; we have been left with no option". He added that their struggle will continue as long as the government does not comply with the San Andres Accords and that the EZLN would not return to the negotiation table until the five minimum (security) guarantees offered in 1996 are complied with. (La Jornada, 22 September). AI Against Militarization of Police. According to Javier Zuniga, Director for Latin America of Amnesty International (AI), it would be a great mistake to delegate complete control of public security in Mexico to military forces. He said they are not prepared to act in response to criminal actions and that they themselves violate human rights in their counter-insurgent campaigns. Pierre Sane, the Secretary General of AI who is in Mexico for the first time, said that the Mexican government has not shown the political will to address the serious violations of human rights in the country. (La Jornada, Reforma, 24 and 25 September). Munoz Rocha Alive ? Daniel Aguilar Trevino, the man who murdered PRI Secretary General Jose Francisco Ruiz Massieu, told the press that Manuel Munoz Rocha (the missing PRI Deputy who hired him to commit the murder) is still alive. He claims that a few months ago Munoz Rocha called him in prison from Cuba. Mexican authorities and Munoz Rocha's wife said that they do not believe Aguilar. (Reforma, 22 September) ECONOMY/TRADE On Monday, September 22, the Bank of Mexico (Banxico) released its Monetary Policy Report for the first semester of 1997, in which it announced the possibility of increasing liquidity in an effort to reduce interest rates and counteract an "undesirable" appreciation of the peso. This follows months of a neutral monetary policy, which followed a more restrictive policy during 1996. The move appears to be a recognition by the Central Bank that increasing levels of short term foreign investment are making the Mexican economy vulnerablee. Meanwhile, Finance Secretariat announced that in the next three months short term foreign investment in the Mexican Stock Exchange will be closely monitored in an attempt to ensure that speculative foreign capital does not exceed 30% of the total. (El Financiero, 23-24 September) Salaries in the Capital According to the government's National Institute for Statistics, Geography, and Information (INEGI), 48 percent of the economically active population (EAP) in the Federal District earn between one and two times the minimum wage per day. This means that approximately three million workers in the nation's capital earn less than 53 pesos (approximately $7.50) per day. The same study notes that 17.9 percent of the EAP of the capital works more than 48 hours per week and earn less than the minimum wage (27 pesos or about $3.70 per day). Secretary of Commerce and Industry (SECOFI) Before Congress The Secretary of Commerce and Industry, Herminio Blanco, appeared before the new Congress and acknowledged that 30% of foreign investment is concentrated in speculative activities. However, he said that to attract more foreign investment, the "cost" of doing business in Mexico will have to be reduced. In response to critics from opposition parties, he insisted that the governments' "open door" policy for foreign investment will increase the living standards of Mexicans. In contrast, when asked by legislators about the internal market and the micro-economy he responded coldly that "we are interested (in it)". With respect to NAFTA, Blanco said that the government has defended the commercial interests of Mexico, and said that the economy is doing fine. In response, legislators of the opposition attacked him saying that his economic optimism resembled a "discourse from another country" and even called for his resignation. (La Jornada, 24 September). Legislators for Social Orientation of Public Spending Legislators from the five political parties in Congress decided that, beginning in1998, the federal budget - about 830 billion pesos ($105 billion)- will be more focused on improving social welfare than on foreign debt servicing or "rescuing" the banking system and incompetent investors. The legislators of the four opposition parties announced that they would form a block in Congress to avoid the mechanical approval of the budget by the PRI. Most deputies coincided with Javier Castelo Parada of the National Action Party in that "from now on we have to reassume our responsibility to guarantee a social development which has been... marginalized as a result of government policies, resulting in 40 million poor (people), of whom 17 million live in extreme poverty". (El Financiero, 22 September). ================================================================= NY Transfer News Collective * A Service of Blythe Systems Since 1985 - Information for the Rest of Us 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012 http://www.blythe.org e-mail: nyt@blythe.org ================================================================= nytcamer-09.27.97-09:53:50-30628