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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | November 2006 
PAN: Inauguration to Proceed as Scheduled
 Kelly Arthur Garrett - The Herald Mexico
| | The National Action Party- controlled leadership in the Chamber of Deputies made it clear Tuesday Felipe Calderón will be sworn in on Dec. 1 as planned. |
The National Action Party- controlled leadership in the Chamber of Deputies made it clear Tuesday Felipe Calderón will be sworn in on Dec. 1 as planned - before a joint session of Congress, at the Legislative Palace of San Lázaro, and with outgoing President Vicente Fox participating in the ceremony.
After signing an official proclamation putting an end to speculation that the inauguration could be moved to another site, Jorge Zermeño, the presiding officer of the lower house said the ceremony will go forward despite vows by the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) to prevent it.
"We don´t bow to threats or blackmail from anybody," said Zermeño, of Calderón´s National Action Party (PAN). "There will be an inauguration here in San Lázaro, it´s already scheduled, the notices have already been sent out, and the deputies and senators have been informed."
The PRD was not backing away Tuesday from its promise to prevent Calderón´s swearing-in ceremony from taking place. The party and its allies claim Calderón´s presidential campaign was illegal and his victory in the July 2 election fraudulent.
"That decision is not negotiable," PRD secretary-general Guadalupe Acosta said at a news conference. "We are going to demonstrate peacefully our protest of what we have called the great electoral fraud of July 2."
With the lines drawn, the PAN and PRD are using increasingly confrontational language about what will happen on Dec. 1. The PRD, whose legislators prevented Fox from delivering his State of the Nation Address on Sept. 1 by occupying the speakers´ platform, have not revealed what they plan to do to impede the ceremony.
"What will happen and how it will happen isn´t resolved yet in its details," said PRD Senate leader Carlos Navarrete, who was at the podium when his party´s legislators stormed the dais on Sept. 1. "The final days of November will be a prudent time to fine-tune decisions about our behavior inside the Legislative Palace."
Whatever it is, PAN leaders say, they´ll be ready for it. PAN party president Manuel Espino said his legislators will be "on guard."
Said PAN Sen. Federico Doring, "We´re not going to try to anticipate their strategy. What we´re going to do is protect the physical integrity of President Fox and of President Calderón."
Federal Public Security Secretary Eduardo Medina Mora said he has already received a formal request for extra security, but wouldn´t indicate whether it will approach or surpass the exceptionally high security measures on Sept. 1.
Acosta said he had no problem with beefed up security for the event. "I don´t see it as a provocation," he said. "I understand there´s concern ... for protecting the building and for the safety of the legislators and everybody else."
But Navarrete said he was worried plans are in the works to have armed troops deployed inside the halls of Congress, referring to news reports that a replica of the legislative floor had been built for unknown use by the military.
"I know how to read between the lines," he said. "Members of the Estado Mayor (the military unit assigned to the president) are preparing to enter into the congressional hall to personally confront senators and deputies."
Carlos Jiménez Macía, a senator from the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) who was in favor of changing the site of the ceremony, said he was concerned about Mexico´s image if PRD legislators take action to disrupt the ceremony. Dignitaries from around the world, including heads of state, are expected to attend.
"I personally think it would be a very bad beginning for the Calderón administration," he said. |
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