PEMEX deal from PRI might change everything

I’ve been thinking for a while (and started a post on the subject about two months ago, that I never finished) that Beatriz Paredes Rangel may be Mexico’s first woman President.  Since taking over as party chair after Roberto Madazo’s disasterous campaign for President in 2006 and the party purge that finally threw out Elba Esther Gordilla, PRI has recovered nicely.

While it has always been the largest party, it never seemed to find an identity after losing its position as the “Party of everyone who had a stake in the 1910-20 Revolution”.  Trying to be socialist and neo-liberal, nationalist and internationalist, and at the same time making space for individual party power brokers (like Gordilla) is impossible in a multi-party state.  While the PRI normally is able to hold its own, normally by forming fusion tickets with the Greens or other small parties, it seemed to be losing its identity.  Gordilla and Madroza had been trying to work with PAN, but the Mexican right is only about a third of the electorate, and it’s attempts to become a centerist party have opened it to severe criticism by PRD.  One factor in Lopez Obrador’s phenonomal appeal was that the PRI was wishy-washy, and seen as a “me too” party by those on the left. PRD writers still refer to PRIAN — suggesting PRI and PAN are one and the same.   In other words, basically irrelevant and too willing to give in to the more reactionary proposals from PAN that never really appealed to PRI voters.

Paredes stemmed the losses, going back to the party’s socialist and nationalist roots, and appealing to the Mexican middle (left of the U.S. center) for whom the PRD is “too leftist”.  Certainly PRI still includes some incompatible elements — and some embarrassing leaders (Ulises Ruiz in Oaxca, Manuel Marín Torres in Puebla), but every party has its bozos.

By making common cause with the PRD, and presenting a viable energy reform compromise that satisfies the majority of Mexicans who oppose (energetically oppose is what I want to write) any hint of privatization and foreign control of oil resources, the former Tlaxcala Governor and Senator may be an odds on favorite for her party’s presidential nomination in 2012

The PRI proposal for PEMEX reform is only being presented partially. I suspect there are still details to be worked out, and some horse-trading with the PRD to handle. Interestingly enough, in this article, PAN is only mentioned in passing. The PEMEX deal, when it comes, will not be a PAN production. The original article, “Cierra filas el PRI en torno de su plan energético” by Susana Hernández appeared in today’s Milenio. My translation.

Governors, legislators and the PRI leadership have closed ranks around an energy reform package which will be presented 22 July during the closing session of the Senate debate on the reform.

Party chair Beatriz Paredes, Senate leader Manlio Fabio Beltrones and Chamber of Deputies leader Gamboa Patrón, along with PRI state governors called the meeting to present the alternative proposal which will be presentate to the Senate in the next week.

The meeting’s participants endorsed the proposal, which meets the party’s objectives of presenting viable and progressive energy reform which will be accepted by a Senate majority.

Interviewed after the closed-door meeting, Beatriz Paredes stressed that the group’s objective was to maintain a dialoge with PAN and PRD, and to reach an accord.

“”I have indicated that our national leadership met in the spirit of open dialogue with all parties, including PRD and PAN, and we are willing to share our point of view with them. Hopefully, we have reached a point of concensus with them,” she emphasized.

The PRI chair went on to say that the party’s proposal included a serious analisis of President Felipe Calderón’s proposal, especially those points insufficiently covered.

Parades rejected the idea that presenting the iniative will entail political costs for the party. She reiterated that the PRI proposal will strenthen PEMEX autonomy, without privatization: goals in line with party statues.

“I am convinced that our proposal is favorable to the country and national development, and that Mexican society will appreciate the initiative that will be presented in the best spirt of citizenship by PRI legislators.”

The PRI leader added that party deputies and senators will be holding workshops to hammer out details of the proposal, backed by the Central Committee.

Regarding negotiations with PRD, Paredes recognized party differences in some areas, but the PRD have yet to read the details.

“The PRI position has been very clear – we have always pushed transparency and in no way support discretionary handling [of the PEMEX budget].”

Paredes added that the time given the legislature by the Executive branch to consider energy reforms was adequate.

According to a PRI Central Committee news release, the meeting included the goverors of Sonora, the State of Mexico, Veracruz, Campeche, Puebla, Nuevo León, Hidalgo and Colima. The Governors of Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, Nayarit and Quintana Roo sent representatives. Missing were the governors of Tabasco and Chihuahua, who were both out of the country.

PRI governors said they respected the decision of the parlimentary coordinators in presenting the initiative.

Key details

• On Wednesday, Manlio Fabio Beltrones will present a PRI propsal which contemplates the creation of PEMEX subsidiaries financed nationally. As the Senator explained, the proposal will allow private Mexican companies to participate in refining and storage.

• In addition, private industry would be allowed to invest in the exploration of deposits with the purpose of discovering new reserves to replace production lost in recent years.