1996-11-14 Local Press
Article Index
Summary of Local Press Clippings from Mexico
November 14, 1996, Credit Lyonnais Securities (USA) Inc.
DEMOCRACY
Elections Bring Significant PRI Defeats
On Sunday, November 10, elections were carried out in the states of Mexico, Coahuila, and Hidalgo. In the first two, voters elected mayors and representatives to the state Congress; in Hidalgo, they only elected mayors. The general trend in all three states was high levels of absenteeism, and significant losses for the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).
Of the 244 municipalities participating, the FRI is expected to have lost at least 68. Nevertheless, this would leave the FRI with about 45.9% of the vote, followed by the National Action Party with 32% and the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PIW) with 21.4%. In the state of Mexico, the PRI's hold on local elected offices fell from 97.06% to 48.9%; in Coahuila, it fell from 87% to 36.7%; and in Hidalgo it fell from 98.32% to 77.1% (Reforma, 10-12 November).
Explosion in San Juanico
Three gasoline storage tanks belonging to Mexican Petroleum (PEMEX) exploded in the center of the densely populated area of San Juan Ixhuatepec (on the outskirts of Mexico City in the state of Mexico) on Monday November 11. This happened precisely twelve years ago on November 19,1984 in the same place. The tanks that exploded held 33.4 million liters of leaded gasoline, which is the equivalent of95% of the daily consumption of leaded gasoline in the country, or 43.72% of total daily gasoline consumption. The pollution that results is likely to be the equivalent of an additional 3.34 million vehicles without any anti-pollution devices circulating in Mexico City. Huge black clouds of smoke passed over the city on Tuesday, as schools were told not to let the children out to play. Seven neighborhoods in surrounding seas were evacuated. The Red Cross reported four people killed and close to one thousand treated for intoxication or burns. PEMEX is facing strong criticism for jeopardizing safety in its cut-backs on maintenance and as part of its austerity program (La Jornada, 12 November).
Parties Can't Agree on Campaign Finance Issue
The Zedillo administration decided to send a second electoral reform bill to Congress without the consensus of the other three major parties. One of the key sticking points appeared to be the issue of public campaign financing. The parties have agreed to ensure public financing of campaigns, but while the FRI proposes it be a total of 2 billion pesos annually (about $240 million), the Pan proposes 1 billion and the FAN 900 million. (Reforma, 7 November).