Mexico City • With a vote of 409 aye, 32 nay and 2 abstentions, the full Chamber of Deputies generally endorsed the telecommunications constitutional reform, which among other things provides for creation of an autonomous body (IFETEL) [Federal Telecommunications Institute] responsible for granting and revoking telecommunications concessions.
The bill voted this afternoon at the Palace of San Lazaro considers the eighteen modifications returned by the Senate, which the PRD Deputy Purificación Carpinteyro accused of introducing setbacks to the reform, while her colleague Fernando Belaunzarán described the Senate as "The Bonfire of the Vanities".
Deputies from the PAN [National Action Party], PRD [Party of the Democratic Revolution], Citizens Movement and PT [Workers Party] filed ten 'reservations' for particular discussion.
Among the most significant changes returned by Senators, the obligation of the IFETEL and of the COFECO [Federal Competition Commission] to file trimester [four-month] reports to Congress, as well as the ability to remove their members for serious offenses.
"Conditions of 'open access' without arbitrary interference are established in the telecommunications services, but without confusing this term with free services."
... Spanish original