by the El Reportero news services
The Oct. 26 municipal elections were expected to provide a preview of how the Chilean electorate was beginning to lean with the December 2009 presidential elections in sight. Overall, the outcome was inconclusive, except inasmuch as it showed the Partido Demócrata Cristiana (PDC), one the main parties in the ruling Concertación alliance, taking a beating which just may leave it out of the presidential contest.
The rightwing opposition Alianza won more mayoralties than in 2004, but overall fewer than the ruling Concertación, which also won more seats on city and town councils. In terms of the number of votes attracted, the two main alliances were not very far apart. One consequence of the elections is that the results appear to have persuaded former president Ricardo Lagos (2000-2006) to reconsider his refusal to run in 2009.
Ecuador’s “transition” raises doubts
President Rafael Correa and his Alianza País (AP) party won a resounding victory for the ‘yes’ vote in the national referendum on the new constitution [RA-08-10] on 28 Sept. 28. Since it formally entered into effect on Oct. 20, the country has entered a so-called ‘Transition Regime’ that is to reform most of the country’s institutional framework in preparation for the next ‘phase’ of what Correa calls his “citizens’ revolution”.
This will begin when presidential, legislative and municipal elections are held in the first quarter of next year. A number of temporary institutions will rule in the interim, leading critics to decry the politicization of the judiciary and the subordination of almost all of Ecuador’s legal and political institutions to the executive.
Will Obama’s victory herald a new dawn for US-Latin American relations?
U.S. Hispanics played a key role in the comprehensive victory of Senator Barack Obama over Senator John McCain in the US presidential elections on Nov. 4. In his victory speech Obama promised “a new dawn of American leadership” – Latin American countries will hope this extends to US foreign policy.
With Obama sure to be preoccupied with domestic economic and fi nancial travails, Latin American governments will not expect the U.S. to radically overhaul its regional foreign policy or indeed its foreign-policy priorities, but they will be hoping for greater emphasis on multilateralism, dialogue and consensus, and a more nuanced treatment of the region to refl ect its political diversity and complexity.
MEXICO – Forces of the Mexican opposition denounced Wednesday a masked delivery of Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) oil company to private firms.This fact came to light after recent statements by Mexican Energy Minister Georgina Kessel. Legislators from the Progressive Wide Front (FAP) warned Wednesday that Kessel’s statements, saying that 70 percent of PEMEX exploration and production is already in the hands of private companies, proves the fear expressed regarding the energy reform in Mexico.
The legislative package on the transformation of the Mexican oil industry only tried to legalize the contracts to energy transnationals, said FAP representatives. FAP is composed of the organizations Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) and Trabajo y Convergencia.
The statements by Kessel this week demonstrate the reason of the National Movement in Defense of Petroleum, led by former presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, about the government’s privatizing intentions, FAP leaders said.
In the opinion of opposition Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) member of parliament Jose Murat, Mexican Energy minister’s was not an ethical confession, proving the illegal sale of Mexican crude oil.
(Latin News and Prensa Latina contributed to this report.)
