MEXPAZ: MEXICO UPDATE #147 11/4/97 Via NY Transfer News Collective * All the News that Doesn't Fit MEXICO UPDATE #147 November 5, 1997 Produced by Equipo Pueblo This version of the Mexico Update contains four sections: Hurricane Paulina, Human Rights/Justice, Democracy and Politics, Economy. Comments welcome: e-mail pueblodip@laneta.apc.org or Fax (52-5) 672-7453 HURRICANE PAULINA URGENT APPEAL Due to the severe devastation that the Hurricane Paulina has inflicted on Oaxaca, FOCO (Foro de Organizaciones Civiles de Oaxaca), a coalition of 38 organizations of civil society, has asked us to appeal to international organizations for help with short term emergency assistance (food and water supplies, medicines for diseases, clothing etc.) as well as longer term assistance in regenerating the productive capacity (mainly agricultural) of hundreds of communities. Please contact Maria Eugenia Mata at: fax (52-951) 51221 or at email : campooax@laneta.apc.org for information on how to help. HUMAN RIGHTS/JUSTICE PRI Paramilitary Group Ambushes Convoy of Bishops Samuel Ruiz and Raul Vera= The convoy in which Bishops Samuel Ruiz and Raul Vera were traveling was ambushed as they passed through the community of El Crucero in Tila, Chiapas on Tuesday, November 4. Neither of the two bishops was hurt, but three people traveling with them were wounded by the gunfire. The bishops had been warned not to enter this area, which is controlled by the PRI paramilitary group, "Peace and Justice" (which is suspected of carrying out the ambush). Gonzalo Ituarte, Vicar of San Cristobal and secretary of the National Mediation Commission (CONAI) said that he fears for the lives of the bishops because they have numerous religious activities planned until the 19th of November in the northern zone of Chiapas where the paramilitary groups operate. They have already had to cancel some activities in areas like La Sabanilla where the population has fled in fear of reprisals by "Peace and Justice" for their support to Zapatistas (La Jornada, Reforma, 4 November) United States Ships and Planes Pursue Drug Traffickers in Acapulco A controversy arose on Monday, November 3, when US ships and planes engaged in the "hot pursuit" of drug traffickers in waters of the coast of Acapulco. The Mexican Maritime Secretariat said that the operation was a success and it should not be seen as threat. Senators from the opposition National Action Party (PAN) and Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), however, were outraged by what they saw a threat to Mexico=92s national sovereignty and dignity, and demanded an explanation from the Secretariat of Foreign Relations. This Secretariat responded that the US forces only engaged in monitoring operations. However, the joint operation of Mexican and United States anti-drug forces illustrates the lack of coordination between the Mexican Maritime Secretariat and Foreign Relations because the former did not inform the latter about the operation ahead of time. (Reforma, La Jornada, 4, 5 November) Amnesty International- Mexican Government Row Continues Morris Tidball, representative of Amnesty International (AI) for Mexico, said that the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH) is not a legitimate agency and that it may even serve governmental interests in covering up abuses. AI reported this to the Miguel Agust=EDn Pro Juarez Center of Mexico, after a meeting AI had with Mireille Rocatti, Mexican ombudsman in London. AI=92s president Pierre San=E9 refused to attend the meeting but me= t Rocatti in his offices as a sign of courtesy. Tidball expressed AI=92s concern over Rocatti=92s claim that 80% of the cases of disappearances presented to the CNDH had been resolved, since AI figures show that 90% remain unresolved. (La Jornada, 4 November) New Figures on Deportations In 1997, the US Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has deported 84,899 Mexicans from the United States. This represents 76% of the total number of immigrants deported from that country. Slightly more than half (46,424) were deported for not having legal papers, while 38,475 were accused of crimes. DEMOCRACY AND POLITICS Zedillo to Meet with PAN=92s Calderon. President Zedillo finally accepted an invitation by PAN president Felipe Calder=F3n Hinojosa to discuss government reform issues with political party leaders. Zedillo had refused such invitations on two previous occasions, arguing that the parties should meet with Interior Secretary Emilio Chauyffet. The meeting with Zedillo will take place on November 5. Porfirio Mu=F1oz Ledo, leader of the PRD fraction in Congress, refused to attend the meeting on the grounds that it represents a political alignment between the President and the conservative PAN (Reforma 4 November). Cardenas Invites Zedillo to Attend His Inauguration Cuahtemoc Cardenas Solorzano, Mayor Elect of Mexico City, said that President Zedillo=92s attendance at his inauguration would be welcome becaus= e it would send a signal of willingness to collaborate between the federal and Mexico City governments. Cardenas also said that he supports emphasizing the role of culture in the elaboration of public policies (La Jornada, 4 November). Raul Denies Charges of Murder and Theft In a written interview with The New York Times, Raul Salinas vigorously denied charges of murder and alleged links with Mexican drug traffickers, which have kept him in prison since 1995. In an interview with the US publication Salinas said he accumulated his fortune legally, although he admitted to capitalizing on the "huge opportunities" available to him as the brother of the president. (Reforma, 31 October) Gurria to Lobby European Parliament. Mexico=92s Foreign Minister, Jose Angel Gurr=EDa, will testify in front of t= he European Parliament (EP) in an attempt to convince European legislators that the human rights situation in Mexico is not as bad as it has been portrayed by European human rights groups. Gurria=92s visit to the EP will take place after Mexican and European delegates sign a trade, political and cooperation agreement in Brussels. His will seek to ensure that trade negotiations proceed and that the agreement is not affected by human rights problems in Mexico (La Jornada, 3 November). ECONOMY Administration Prepares Budget The Zedillo administration announced that it would send its 1998 budget proposal to the Chamber of Deputies on November 11. The so-called "financial package" for 1998 includes both a Revenue Bill and a Budget proposal. Only the Chamber of Deputies has jurisdiction over the budget (expenditures) while both houses vote on the revenue bill. The budget must then be approved by the Chamber before December 15. For the first time in Mexico=92s history there is a chance of a budget crisis, since the newly elected, opposition dominated Chamber disagrees with various elements of the president=92s proposal. Nevertheless, most parties expect some sort of agreement to be approved on time. In total, the budget is expected to be about 850 billion pesos (over US$100 billion). One of the most important disputes on the revenue side is whether to reduce taxes (as the opposition proposes) or not (as the PRI proposes). (El Financiero, 3-4 November) Secofi to Further Deregulate Maquiladora Sector The Secretariat of Trade and Industry (Secofi) has agreed to modify three articles of the law regulating maquiladora operations in the country, in order to further simplify and deregulate this sector. There are currently 3,718 maquiladoras operating in Mexico which generate 944,096 low waged jobs. About 67 percent of maquiladoras operate along the US-Mexico border and the rest in other parts of the country. Bankers Making Deals With Debtors As a result of the new correlation of forces in the Chamber of Deputies and their continued inability to collect on numerous debts, commercial banks have begun to negotiate with debtors for one - time lump sum payments of between 50 and 80 percent of the total debt. Given the complications involved in the legal process and taking over collateral, these banks have decided that receiving fresh money is a better bet. Although these transactions are still the exception of the rule, if this trend catches on, we could see significant reductions in non-performing loan portfolios in the future. FCC Decision on Telmex The US Federal Communications Commission ruled that Telmex has adopted various forms of discriminatory conduct in the liberalization of the Mexican long distant market, charges unreasonable connection fees, uses fees on incoming calls from the US to subsidize national operating costs, and that the Mexican regulatory framework will not allow US operators to make a profit. As a result, it placed special conditions on Telmex if it wants to enter the US market (as a partner of Sprint), which include a 51.8 percent reduction in rates on calls entering Mexico from the US over the next three years. This will mean a loss of some $450 million in revenue for the company. Telmex can either accept the FCC conditions or appeal them. Signs are that they will accept in the hope that such losses will be made up for with their access to a market of 30 million Hispanic customers in the US. Telmex Sprint Communications will be based in Houston and is expected to begin to offer its long distance service in a few pilot cities of the Southwest in January. (El Financiero, 3 November) Highway Construction Between now and the year 2000 the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (SCT) will invest approximately 6.7 billion pesos on the maintenance and modernization of federal highways. During this period, the public sector will be the principal financier of highways. At the same time, however, the SCT is reportedly in the process of designing a new program to provide highway concessions to the private sector again. Presumably, they will incorporate the lessons learned from the failed scheme began under the Salinas administration. MEXPAZ An electronic bulletin collectively produced by: CRT:Centro de Reflexio'n Teolo'gica; SIPRO:Servicios de informacion procesada, A.C.; FC:Fronteras Comunes; CENCOS:Centro de comunicacion social, A.C.; CONPAZ:Coordinacion de organismos no-gubernamentales por la paz; PRODH:Centro de Derechos Humanos, Miguel Agustin Pro; CEE:Centro de Estudios Ecume'nicos; CAM:Centro Antonio de Montesinos; CONAI:Comision nacional de intermediacion; EP:Equipo Pueblo. ================================================================= 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-11.07.97-09:29:51-25947