Mexico News Roundup - 8/8/06

Not to break up the dkos Joementum, but... it's Mexico News Round up time, August 8th, 2006.

MEXICO CITY, Aug 8 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Mexican leftists blockaded a ministry and threw open highway toll gates on Tuesday in an escalation of protests against what they say was fraud in last month's presidential election.

It was the first time the demonstrators have disrupted federal facilities in weeks of protests to support candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who lost the election by 0.58 percentage point to conservative Felipe Calderon.

...

http://www.alertnet.org/...

Hats off to the Mexican people for standing up for themselves.

More below...

Mexico's Currency Declines as Lopez Obrador Steps Up Protests

Aug. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Mexico's currency fell as supporters of presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador escalated protests by taking over toll booths on four Mexican highways.

Protesters demanding a full recount of the July 2 election occupied the booths and let drivers pass free of charge on roads linking Mexico City to four other cities. The protests fueled concern that Felipe Calderon, the winner of the vote, will find it hard to obtain a congressional majority to meet promises such as opening up the oil industry to private investment, said Aryam Vazquez, an economist at Informa Global Markets.

Speculation that Mexico ``will have a divided political climate is certainly hitting the peso,'' Vazquez said in a phone interview from New York.

...

http://www.bloomberg.com/...

I suppose this means the financial markets are seeing a rough road ahead for Mexico, especially if this makes it harder to privatize oil Mexican oil fields.

Please add your own links and stories. This is an open-thread style diary.

•  Viva los Zapatistas

  Peaceful people power is wonderful to see

  by la motocycliste on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 01:55:07 PM PDT

  •  Zapatistas have nothing to do with this

    They have an extrememly marginal effect in Mexican politics.

    by mariachi mama on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:35:47 PM PDT

    •  Actually, that's not what I hear

      There are rumours that Marcos' boycott call might have cost AMLO up to 600,000 votes. I have no idea whether that's true. But if it is, the EZLN - even though I generally support them - might have done to the coalición what Nader did to Gore in 2000.

      by brainwave on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:44:45 PM PDT

      •  Right, maybe, most Mexicans don't

        pay much attention to the Zapatistas, though.  Their influence is limited. I'd be very surprised if that many people boycotted.

        But my point is they have nothing to do with the election protests.

        by mariachi mama on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:57:39 PM PDT

        •  600,000 is definitely on the high side

          Since the coalición won pretty much all the the states with larger indigenous minorities (except for Yucatán) pretty solidly, the number seems definitely a bit high. Plus, since the results of the exit polls haven't been published (as far as I know), this would have to be based on speculation anyway. The best indicator would presumably be a comparison between the votes for president and those for diputados, especially in EZLN strongholds.

          by brainwave on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:08:21 PM PDT

      •  But, as we well know, the Nader fiasco covered up

        the Karl Rove voter disenfranchisement/intimidation/vote machine theft campaign within the campaign. The truth is, Calderon benefitted from the same factors Bush, Jr. did in Florida 2000. To focus on EZLN is to focus on a red herring thrown in to the mix to throw observers off the scent. I smell rogue CIA/Rove/etc. dirty tricks, period. The Mexican people who are protesting are taking on the entire corrupt international finance and corporate systems via their focused protest on Mexican electoral corruption. How damn courageous of them, and how weak-kneed Americans look in comparison when one considers how meek our collective response was to the 2000, 2002 and 2004 elections. Fascism succeeds here, but maybe no longer south of the border.

        by Enough Talk Lets Get Busy on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:03:00 PM PDT

        •  Personally

          The Nader effect probably came from Patricia Mercado. She got over a million votes. She is more left leaning than AMLO, favors legalization of abortion, legalizing marijuana, women's rights, education.

          by mariachi mama on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:08:39 PM PDT

        •  Nobody's focusing on the EZLN though

          This isn't a big public discussion at all. It's just something I picked up from friends in Chiapas, and have been wondering about since.

          by brainwave on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:10:34 PM PDT

•  re

  thanks for posting.

  by cookiesandmilk on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 01:59:55 PM PDT

•  thanks for update

  n/t

  by Errol on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:06:10 PM PDT

•  What is

  the exchange dollar to peso today?

  by mango on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:07:39 PM PDT

  •  10.87

    per xe.com

    The blocakdes this morning are estimated to have cost about 70,000 USD.

    by mariachi mama on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:32:06 PM PDT

•  This could

  get real nasty.  Shit!

  by mango on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:09:36 PM PDT

  •  I've been busy

    so I haven't been quite as manic about reading papers, but who owns the toll roads that protesters opened?

    Is this an effort to deny the government revenue, or is this just a way to go to the highways without getting run over like up in Matamoros?

    If this is about denying the government revenue, I think that it's only a matter of time before oil facilities get occupied.  I know I'm being a broken record.

    by ManfromMiddletown on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:15:50 PM PDT

    •  Government, although

      I think that there is some private investment. Government certainly administers them.

      by mariachi mama on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:39:58 PM PDT

•  Whoops

  I just did one too, I'll just copy some of it to a comment and take it down.

  by mariachi mama on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:23:48 PM PDT

  •  sorrry

    I hadn't seen you post one for a couple of days and I felt an intense need to interrupt the solid flow of Lieberman diaries.

    How often do you plan to start these?

    I'd like to see them at least every couple of days at this point because there's so much happening. I can take responsibility for some days if you want.

    by joel3000 on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:57:21 PM PDT

    •  I couldn't this weekend

      and yesterday we had no power most of the day. I can get one up daily most week days..weekends will be spotty.

      by mariachi mama on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:00:53 PM PDT

      •  OK

        How's this?

        If I don't see your diary by 6pm PST I'll post one if I can. We'll just have to watch for overlaps, I don't think it will happen too often.

        And thanks for doing this.

        by joel3000 on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:22:30 PM PDT

        •  OK nt

          by mariachi mama on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:41:05 PM PDT

•  WHY?

  Thanks for this, but I am wondering why there is a diary with the exact same title and a similar format a few diaries up from this one? http://www.dailykos.com/...

  Seems a little weird.  Otherwise, thank you.

  by environmentalist on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:30:32 PM PDT

  •  Well....

    Now its been deleted.  Wierd.

    by environmentalist on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:33:12 PM PDT

    •  See

      here - it's a regular-irregular series of diaries launched by a group of people on the initiative of joel3000. The problem is that the people who have agreed to do this haven't figured out a way to coordinate among each other off-blog ;-)

      by brainwave on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:35:49 PM PDT

      •  my bad ;) n/t

        by joel3000 on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:59:09 PM PDT

  •  Because we both were wrtiing a diary

    at the same time, I guess. Why are there 40 diaries about the lieberman website debacle? We have been doing these Mexican News  Roundups in this format for several days.

    Anyway I deleted mine.

    by mariachi mama on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:34:06 PM PDT

    •  Dont get me wrong.

      I didnt mean to be attacking you by any means.  I was just confused.  Great information and I love to read about Mexico so dont stop and even repost your diary.  I was just confused by the same titles and timing.

      by environmentalist on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:48:41 PM PDT

      •  Heh!

        Just grumpy with all the CT stuff. I know it's important and I am interested, but...well...

        by mariachi mama on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:03:15 PM PDT

        •  While I hope Lamont wins

          I am a bit more interested in Mexican than CT.

          by environmentalist on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:26:49 PM PDT

•  More corruption?

  Mexico, Aug 2 (Prensa Latina) Independent trade union leaders have denounced an alleged fraud in the July 2 elections orchestrated by the president of the National Union of Education Workers (SNTE), Elba Esther Gordillo.

  The leaders of the National Coordinate of Education Workers (CNTE) assert that the government of President Vicente Fox diverted funds from social programs to be handled by Gordillo for election ends.

  Artemio Ortiz told a news conference in the western state of Michoacan that the funds amount to more than 227 million dollars, which were initially allocated to educational programs.

  http://www.plenglish.com/...

  Prensa Latina is a very biased, very leftist source, and I haven't been able to confirm this, but it is interesting.

  by mariachi mama on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:38:11 PM PDT

  •  MM, could you provide a bit more background

    on the teachers unions? Is CNTE the one behind the protests in Oaxaca? Also, I still don't quite understand the relation between what's going on in Oaxaca and the recount fight. The teachers in Oaxaca are basically pursuing their own, older grievances, right? ¡Un montón de gracias!

    by brainwave on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:41:59 PM PDT

    •  Well yes and no

      The teacher's union has been striking annually in Oaxaca for years, but usually short two weeks strikes, this year is obviously not the case. This year they have also been joined by another organization, the APPO (La Asamblea Popular del Pueblo de Oaxaca..those are the people who took over the TV station. There are some other, even more radical groups involved, as well. The primary goal is to get rid of the corrupt PRI governor, Ulises Ruiz.

      Just today the APPO announced that they were backing the Coalicion Por el Bien de Todos, so the protests are becoming intermingled.

      A teacher was killed last night, just a few blocks from the Zocolo by gunmen on a motorcycle, a couple of days ago buses were burned, allegedly by thugs from PRI (blaming the protesters).

      by mariachi mama on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:53:42 PM PDT

      •  Ah yes, the APPO

        I'm getting completely lost in all these abbreviations ;-) But I do remember reading about them now. Thanks!

        by brainwave on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 02:57:48 PM PDT

        •  No kidding

          I can't keep 'em all straight..just all the differnet kinds of police confuse me. Mexico must have more acronyms per capita than any other nation.

          by mariachi mama on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:04:59 PM PDT

          •  APC!

            Acronyms per capita - I love it!

            by brainwave on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:12:13 PM PDT

•  I Double Dog Dare them!

  They HAVE to blockade the Estadio Azteca when the Zopilotes have their first home game.

  Amierdica is owned by a huge corporation and I'm pretty sure they make more money in the US than they do in Mexico.

  by Utahrd on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:26:03 PM PDT

  •  They'd get ripped apart

    by the rabid fans, I'm afraid.

    by mariachi mama on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 03:43:23 PM PDT

•  AMLO Presidency would Positively Impact Markets

  Please note that the peso weakened by 0.4% today early in the trading day, and finished essentially unchanged.

  http://finance.yahoo.com/...

  It would be a stretch to assign the fluctuation to the Centrist and Progressive protests in Mexico.

  Moreover, please recall that Standard and Poor's, Fitch and Moody's have all praised AMLO's fiscal management of Mexico City.

  ---------------------------------
  http://mx.invertia.com/...

  Aspirantes 2006

  Evaluado por calificadoras financieras

  Jueves, 20 de Abril de 2006, 9h18

  Fuente: InfoSel Financiero

  MEXICO, Abril. 20. - Las agencias calificadoras de riesgo Fitch, Moody's y Standard & Poor's luego de una serie de estudios para evaluar los adeudos de empresas y entidades en todo el mundo, concluyeron que las obras realizadas durante la administración de Andrés Manuel López Obrador, no representan un riesgo para las finanzas del Distrito Federal.

  De acuerdo con Milenio Diario, ni la construcción de los segundos pisos en el Periférico o el Viaducto ni el programa de pensiones para los adultos mayores implantada durante la gestión de Andrés Manuel López Obrador, constituyen un riesgo para las finanzas del DF, ya que la entidad cuenta con una importante capacidad para generar recursos propios.

  En este sentido, los expertos señalan que la ciudad de México depende menos de las participaciones federales y cuenta con uno de los más altos niveles de exportaciones y de inversión extranjera directa de la República.
  -------------------------------------

  I don't doubt that there are RightWing Calderon Sycophants who will seek to convince the gullible that AMLO acceding to the Presidency would negatively impact the markets.

  But please remember what RightWing GOP Sycophants said about a certain presidential candidate in 1991, when the Wall Street Journal began its crusade against President William Jefferson Clinton.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the WSJ decry President Clinton's class warfare rhetoric, and progressive fiscal policy.

  What happened during the Eight Years of Peace and Prosperity.  How high did the market go?  How much did the MiddleClass benefit?

  by PatriciaVa on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 04:45:49 PM PDT

•  Diego Luna comes out for a Recount

  Mexican actor Diego Luna.....

  http://imdb.com/...

  comes out in favor of counting the votes.

  -----------------------------

  http://www.reforma.com/...

  Reforma.

  Diego Luna.

  ¿Qué trinchera me corresponde?

  .........................Por favor, señores, si hay un error en las boletas que están por abrirse, uno solo, recontemos todos los votos, inviertan ese tiempo y esfuerzo por el bien del IFE, por el bien de todos, para que podamos creer que en México hay democracia, para dejarle al futuro presidente de la República un país gobernable y mañana pensemos ya en lo que tenemos que pensar, cómo hacer para poco a poco construir un país más justo en todos sentidos, con menos contrastes, donde la crítica sea aceptada y los políticos escuchen a la gente, donde los mexicanos no salgan corriendo por falta de oportunidades, donde la cultura sea prioridad, un país que lea los periódicos, que exija medios de comunicación objetivos e imparciales, una sociedad que participe; en fin, un mejor país.

  Pero primero y antes que nada, un país sin dudas, para que podamos de una vez por todas darle carpetazo a los frustrantes recuerdos que dejó en nosotros la elección del 88.Ésta debería ser hoy prioridad de todos, los que simpatizan con algún partido, los que no, los que tienen trinchera, los que van solos, los que ya vienen de regreso, los huérfanos, los que están afuera, todos.Paremos esto que nos desgasta y aleja... Por ahí leí que en momentos de crisis no hay matices... Espero que eso no sea cierto, suena muy peligroso.

  El autor es actor mexicano.

  ---------------------------------------

  by PatriciaVa on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 05:28:20 PM PDT

•  Mexican Oil

  I've heard that the most productive Mexican oil field is in trouble and production is expected to decrease markedly.  That may be another reason why the financial markets are not bullish on Mexico.

  by gmoke on Tue Aug 08, 2006 at 08:56:16 PM PDT