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| From left: PRD leaders Miguel Ángel Mancera, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas, Jesús Zambrano, Marcelo Ebrard y Silvano Aureoles Photo: Francisco Olvera |
La Jornada: Alma E. Muñoz
After a meeting of more than two hours between the top leaders of the PRD [Party of the Democratic Revolution], the party invited President Enrique Peña Nieto to present his reform proposal on energy [i.e., of PEMEX, the state oil company].
Cuauhtemoc Cardenas [leftist candidate for president in 1988 and a founder of PRD in 1989] , Miguel Angel Mancera, head of government of the Federal District, his predecessor, Marcelo Ebrard, the congressional coordinators of the party and legislators rejected any constitutional reform, particularly of Article 27, which opens the door to privatization of oil.
Cuauhtemoc Cardenas said in a press conference that neither are complementary constitutional articles such as 25, 26 and 28 up for modification. He also praised the PRD position as the only party that has established a position on the issue, as no other party nor the federal government has done so. Cuauhtemoc Cardenas [leftist candidate for president in 1988 and a founder of PRD in 1989] , Miguel Angel Mancera, head of government of the Federal District, his predecessor, Marcelo Ebrard, the congressional coordinators of the party and legislators rejected any constitutional reform, particularly of Article 27, which opens the door to privatization of oil.
"It will be very important for them to tell us what they want to privatize, for example in the field of oil industry," he stressed....
Marcelo Ebrard, spoke a similar manner, saying that the PRD has prepared the most important reform in the energy sector and that it is not necessary to amend Article 27 of the Constitution or any other.
For his part, Miguel Ángel Mancera said it is vital for the PRD to promote its proposal, based on eight key issues that Cardenas presented on January 14. These are: changes in the tax system [oil revenues are now a major source of support to the federal budget], give PEMEX budgetary autonomy and self-management, and strengthen the Secretariat of Energy and the National Hydrocarbons Commission.
In addition, tariffs, prices and subsidies for fuel and electricity should enable equitable access to energy [consumer costs of fuel and electricity are currently subsidized], convert the fund for stabilization of oil revenues into a financial institution, as well as promote research and technological development, energy transition [to non-carbon sources], environmental protection and sustainable development.
Jesus Zambrano, national president of the PRD, said he has ready a comprehensive legislative proposal for modernizing [PEMEX], which would amend 12 laws and create one more, a law establishing an oil surplus fund. Spanish original