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North & Central America and Caribbean
Mexico |
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Last reviewed: 10 September 2009 |
Country information
POLITICS
On July 5th, Mexico held elections to renew 500 Congressional seats in the lower Chamber, the governorships of six states, the mayorships of 620 municipalities, and a total of 469 local Congressional seats in 12 states. The former long-time ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) showed a dramatic comeback in all congressional, state, and local elections. In Congress, the president’s National Action Party (PAN) suffered a significant setback, losing its position as the party with the most seats in the Lower Chamber.
The left-wing Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) came a distant third place.
In Congress, the PRI won 36.8% of the vote to 27.9% taken by President Calderón's National Action Party (PAN). The PRD came in a distant third place with 12.2%. The PRI captured 237 seats in the Lower Chamber (including the additional seats won by the principle of proportional representation), followed by the National Action Party (PAN) with 143 seats and the PRD only obtained 72 seats. Within the smaller parties, the Partido Verde (PVEM) obtained the most votes with 6.7%, followed by the Partido del Trabajo (PT) and the Nueva Alianza party (PANAL) with 3.6% and 3.4% respectvely. Convergencia Democratica, another party associated with the PRD, performed poorly (2.4%), but it was able to preserve its registration. However the Partido Social Democratica (PSD) lost its registration with only 1.03% of the national vote. Under the new electoral legislation, a party needs to capture at least 2.0% of national votes to guarantee its place in the political system.
Calderón's predecessor as President, Vicente Fox, was the first non-PRI President for 71 years. He governed from 2000-2006, heading up a PAN administration.
President Calderón has clearly set out 3 main priorities for his administration:
- creating jobs (with 1 million new jobs needed each year to meet demand)
- reducing poverty (with around 47% of Mexicans currently living in poverty)
- improving public security (including reforming the judicial system and reclaiming public spaces from the drugs cartels.)
Legislation passed since President Calderón came to power includes: the Pension System Reform (the ISSSTE Law) approved in March 2007: the 2008 Tax Reform Bill, approved in September 2007, and the Electoral Bill Reform approved in September 2007 and enacted in November of that year; and the 2008 Federal Expenditure Budget and the Law of Income, approved by the Congress in November 2007. The justice reform package was formally approved in February 2008 and in April 2008 the energy reform package was presented to Congress and aaproved in October of that year.The approved energy reform is a package of amendments to seven laws, many of which focus on changes to the machinery of government. The management of Mexico’s national petroleum company, Pemex, will be enhanced by the creation of a National Hydrocarbons Commission, a Committee of Acquisitions, and a Committee of Long-term Strategic Investments. The reform grants Pemex greater autonomy over its finances and governance.
Human Rights
Mexico has ratified the following international human rights treaties:
- International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
- International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
- International Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Racial Discrimination
- Convention on the Rights of the Child
- Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women
- Convention against Torture or other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
- Convention on Rights of persons with disabilities
- Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance
- International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
Mexico is also a Party to the American Convention on Human Rights and has accepted the jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights based in San José, Costa Rica.
Mexico, with other members of the Human Rights Council, participates in the Universal Periodic Review. This took place in February 2009. Mexico accepted a large number of recommendations as a product of this review process.
Past Human Rights Abuses
The human rights picture in Mexico is improving slowly. Of continuing concern are the levels of police violence and impunity, very poor and overcrowded prison conditions, violence towards indigenous communities (particularly in Chiapas and Oaxaca) and the treatment of street children. Since taking office, the fight against the drugs cartels has been a high priority for the Calderón administration. The death toll from these operations is high and there have been accusations that the army has been responsible for human rights abuses in carrying out this task.
