State of Shaky Nation Speech in Mexico - Pres Fox - Friday evening

[Annces]

Mexico, Sep 1(Prensa Latina) Mexican President Vicente Fox is delivering Friday his sixth and last state-of-the-nation address before Congress, amid the prevailing uncertainty and political tension in the Aztec country due to denunciations of an apparent electoral fraud. Faced with warnings by Democratic Revolution (PDR) legislators that they would disrupt the speech, Fox may only install the 60th Legislature to comply with his constitutional duty. However, coordinators of the session insist he could make the presentation. According to presidential sources, the head of state will decide whether to address or not to the Congress or simply hand over his report and leave the hall, but he has assured he will fulfil his responsibility before parliamentarians and deputies.

PRD deputies have denounced that during his tenure Fox tried to reform energy to favor international financial power and privatization of the sector. Besides the electoral fraud, they also referred to his attempts to slash budgets for education, science, technology and culture at the 59th Legislature. His critics have also carped about the handover of the radio-electronics to owners of big mass media plus his clumsy and authoritarian defense of a financial over social agenda. Jorge Zermeño, the legislature's president and also representative of the ruling National Action party, is in charge of responding to the report. Besides representatives and senators, the ceremony will be attended by 870 guests, the Executive Cabinet, accredited diplomatic corps in Mexico, heads of the Judicial Power, the National Commission for Human Rights, religious leaders and owners of mass media.

http://www.plenglish.com/Article.asp?ID={18D38F9F-C42F-474A-A296-B495C10BD1C4}&language=EN







August 31, 2006

PRD to Disrupt Mexican President’s Annual Address
MexiData.info

Tomorrow evening, September 1, Mexican President Vicente Fox is scheduled to give his sixth and final State of the Nation address, or Informe. As required by the Mexican
Constitution, the annual address is given to Congress on the opening day of its first session, with tomorrow’s event to be a joint (Senate and Chamber of Deputies) initial session of the LX Legislature (2006-2009).

However the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), the party of refusenik Andrés Manuel López Obrador, is insisting its incoming members of Congress will block or disrupt Fox’s 7:00
pm (Central Time) speech as part of the campaign in support of the López Obrador claims of fraud in the July 2 presidential election. Of the 500 Chamber of Deputies members, 123 represent the PRD, whereas out of a total of 128 senators, 29 are from the PRD.

Tension is high in anticipation of possible actions that will include demonstrations, and maybe even blockade efforts outside the Chamber of Deputies complex where the events are to be held. Inside the mildest would be frequent interruptions and demonstrations, whereas the worse case would be an effort to prevent Fox from making his speech. PRD Secretary-general Guadalupe Acosta Naranio says that party leaders will decide “exactly two hours” before the Informe what action will be taken. He also said that there are at least ten ways of preventing the Informe under consideration by the PRD.

In addition to Mexican television and radio, the Informe will be broadcast live on CNN en Español (7:00 pm Central Time), in Spanish.

http://www.mexidata.info/id1029.html

[Tuesday_Morning]

1. thanks for the update, Annces

[Annces]

2. update

Sept. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Thousands of Mexican police officers and secret service agents surrounded the congress building as protesters began marching in a bid to stop President Vicente Fox from delivering his final national address tonight.

Police set up vehicle and pedestrian checkpoints around the complex and deployed water cannons to disperse the protests, the latest action in a two-month effort by former Mexico City Mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to challenge results of the July 2 election. Electoral authorities said ballot counts show governing party candidate Felipe Calderon won the vote.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601086&sid=aKMEAPDa_UPg&refer=latin_america