| | | News Around the Republic of Mexico | July 2008
Mexicans in Defense of National Oil Prensa Latina go to original
| A police officer looks at demonstrators from the "400 Pueblos" group during a protest in Mexico City, Tuesday, July 22, 2008. The group, made up of mostly poor farmers from Mexico's southern states, continued their trademark naked marches Tuesday, throwing rocks at federal police. (AP/Gregory Bull) | | Mexico City - The population of 10 Mexican states and the capital is convoked Sunday to express their approval or rejection to the initiative of reform of the Mexican Executive for national oil enterprise Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX).
Mexico’s Frente Amplio Progresista, formed by the Democratic Revolution, Labour Party and Convergencia Movement, declared the state border lines where the referendum will take place.
These are: Guerrero, Michoacan, South Baja California, Hidalgo, Morelos, Chiapas, Veracruz, Tlaxcala, San Luis Potosí and the state of Mexico, besides the Federal District (capital).
The rest of the states is convoked for a second and third stage between August 10 and 24.
DF Government Minister Jose Angel Avila informed that 12 million papers were distributed in 5,586 tables.
Thousands of members of the National Movement in Defense of Oil were touring the streets with propaganda on the plebiscite, supporting the local authorities.
DF Mayor Marcelo Ebrard criticized Friday the attacks by the federal administration against the plebiscite instead of supporting it.
He denounced that government National Action Party is trying to discredit the referendum, in spite of its judicial viability and democratic character.
Mexican newspaper La Jornada presented an analogy between the oil referendum with plebiscite practices in other nations of Latin America in the last years.
The oil plebiscite does not have a linking effect, this invitation to citizens to express their own opinions is added to a growing wave of similar exercises of its kind in Latin America, said La Jornada. |
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