Electoral reform in Mexico : joint hearing before the Subcommittees on International Security, International Organizations, and Human Rights and the Western Hemisphere of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, House of Representatives, One Hundred Third Congre

80 Pages·1994·2.9 MB·English

by  United States. Congress. House. Committee on Foreign Affairs. Subcommittee on International Security, International Organizations, and Human Rights

ELECTORAL REFORM IN MEXICO
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JOINT HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEES ON
INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL
SECURITY,
ORGANIZATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
AND
THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATF^S
ONE HUNDRED THIRD CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
APRIL 20, 1994
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ISBN 0-16-044761-5

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ELECTORAL REFORM IN MEXICO
Y4.F 76/1:11 57/17
Electoral Reforn in nexico< 103-2 J...
JOINT HEAKING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEES ON
INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONAL
SECURITY,
ORGANIZATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS
AND
THE WESTERN HEMISPHERE
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED THIRD CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
Al'RlL 20, 1994
PnnLcd for ihc use of ihc CommilLcc on Foreign Affairs
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
LEE H HAMILTON, Indiana, Chairman
SAM GEJDENSON, Connecticut BENJAMIN A. OILMAN, New York
TOM LANTOS, California WILLIAM F. GOODLING, Pennsylvania
ROBERT G. TORRICELLI, New Jersey JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa
HOWARD L. BERMAN, California TOBY ROTH, Wisconsin
GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine
HARRY JOHNSTON, Florida HENRY J. HYDE, Illinois
ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York DOUG BEREUTER, Nebraska
ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey
Samoa DAN BURTON, Indiana
JAMES L. OBERSTAR, Minnesota JAN MEYERS, Kansas
CHARLES E. SCHUMER, New York ELTON GALLEGLY, California
MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ, California ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Flonda
ROBERT A. BORSKI, Pennsylvania CASS BALLENGER, North Carolina
DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey DANA ROHRABACHER, California
ROBERT E. ANDREWS, New Jersey DAVID A. LEVY, New York
ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey DONALD A. MANZULLO, Illinois
SHERROD BROWN, Ohio LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART, Florida
CYNTHIA A. McKINNEY, Georgia EDWARD R. ROYCE, California
MARIA CANTWELL, Washington
ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida
ERIC FINGERHUT, Ohio
PETER DEUTSCH, Florida
ALBERT RUSSELL WYNN, Maryland
DON EDWARDS, California
FRANK MCCLOSKEY, Indiana
THOMAS C. SAWYER Ohio
LUIS V. GUTIERREZ, Illinois
Michael H. Van DUSKN, ChiefofStaff
RlCllAIiD J. GAJiON Minority ChiefofStaff
Deborah HaUGER, Professional StaffMember
Jo Weher, StaffAssociate
MilagrOS MAliTlNEZ, StaffAssociate
(II)
International Security, International Organization and Human Rights
TOM LANTOS, California, Chairman
HOWARD L. HERMAN, California DOUG BEREUTER, Nebraska
GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine
MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ, California CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey
FRANK McCLOSKEY, Indiana DAN BURTON, Indiana
THOMAS C. SAWYER, Ohio
Robert King, StaffDirector
Michael ENNIS, Republican Professional StaffMember
Kenneth R. Timmehman, Professional StaffMember
Beth L. Poisson, Professional StaffMember
Andrea L. Nelson, Professional StaffMember
Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphkhk
ROBERT G. TORRICELLI, Now Jersey, Chairman
ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey
JAMES L. OBERSTAR. Minnesota ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida
CYNTHIA A. MCKINTVEY, Georgia CASS BALLENGER, North Carolina
PETER DEUTSCH, Florida ELTON GALLEGLY, California
ALBERT RUSSELL WYNN, Maryland
Rob HENKEN, Sla/fDirector
Dorothy TaFT, Republican Professional StaffMember
Alan Fleischmann, Professional StaffMember
(HI)

CONTENTS
WITNESSES
Page
Javier Livas, political activist, former Presidential contender, PAN 3
Carlos Heredia, director of international programs, Equipo Pueblo, and visit-
ing fellow, the Development Group forAlternative Policies 7
Bernard Aronson, international advisor, Goldman, Sachs & Company, and
former Assistant Secretary ofState for Inter-American Affairs 10
John Bailey, professor, Georgetown University 13
Jennifer NlcCfoy, associate professor of political science, Georgia State Univer-
sity, and senior research associate, Latin American and the Caribbean
Program, Carter CenterofEmory University 16
AJ'PENDIX
Prepared statements:
Hon. Tom Lantos 21
Hon. Robert Torricelli 23
Hon. Christopher Smith 26
Javier Livas 27
Carlos Heredia 39
John Bailey 54
Jennifer^lcCoy 61
Additional Material Submitted for the Record
A PRI advertisement for Dr. Ernesto Zedillo in the Mexican newspaper,
ArtLiaclJeoernntaidtlae,d,da"tOendeAMperxiilc1a2n,,1O9n9e4 Honest Vote",New York Times, submitted 67
by Bernard Aronson 68
Letter of Hon. Torricelli, dated April 14, 1994, to the Presidente of the
PRI 69
(V)

ELECTORAL REFORM IN MEXICO
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20, 1994
House of Representatives,
Committee on Foreign Aekairs,
Subcommittee on International Security, Inter-
national Organizations and Human Rights, and
THE Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to call, at 1:03 p.m. in room
2200, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Tom Lantos (chairman
of the Subcommittee on International Security, International Orga-
nizations and Human Rights) presiding.
Mr. Lantos. The joint hearing of the Subcommittee on the West-
ern Hemisphere and the Subcommittee on International Security,
International Organizations and Human Rights will be in order.
My good friend Congressman Torricelli is in the Chair on the
floor handling the crime bill and will be joining us shortly.
The distinguished Peruvian author Mario Vargas Losa has said,
and I quote, "The perfect dictatorship is . . . Mexico, because it is
a camouflaged dictatorship. It may not seem to be a dictatorship,
but it has all the characteristics of dictatorship. The perpetuation,
not of one person, but of an irremovable party, a party that allows
sufficient space for criticism, provided such criticism serves to
maintain the appearance of democracy, but which suppresses by all
means, including the worst, whatever criticism may threaten its
perpetuation in power."
When Congress debated NAFTA last year, many members raised
these issues, questioning whether NAFTA really had the support of
the majority of Mexicans, particularly Mexican workers, who are
routinely denied freedom of association and the right to bargain
collectively.
Our concerns, however, were overshadowed by the economic as-
pects of the debate, and sometimes cynically dismissed by pro-
NAFTA forces as the disingenuous argument of protectionists who
feared competition from low-wage Mexican industry.
But the uprising in Chiapas, which has come to symbolize the
longing of all Mexicans for a fair and just government, dem-
onstrates the validity of our concerns. Indeed, the absence of real
democracy has been a long-standing issue in U.S.-Mexican rela-
tions and therefore I am deeply heartened that we can now address
this issue again in its own right.
As the August Presidential elections approach, there are disturb-
ing signs that the PRI may again be tempted to tamper with ballot
boxes. Its candidate, Ernesto Zedillo, who was named after the as-
(1)
boxes. Its candidate, Ernesto Zedillo, who was named after the as-
sassination of Luis Donaldo Colosio, is considered a talented but
lackluster technocrat with little voter appeal.
Although Zedillo has promised to run a clean campaign, many
Mexicans question whether the PRI, which has been in power since
1929, can afford honest elections. On the other hand, in the after-
math of the government's harsh suppression of the Chiapas upris-
ing and the general growing discontentment among the public, the
PRI is also concerned that the electoral fraud could lead even to
widespread protests and violence.
Therefore, quite a few observers believe the government is trving
to walk a fine line and seeks to make the elections "creditable,
which does not necessarily mean fair. In fact, it appears that PRFs
aim is to determine how little in the way of electorate reform will
suffice to appease the electorate. Thus, many Mexico watchers be-
lieve that the reforms agreed by the government to date do not go
far enough and will not dismantle the PRFs lock on federal elec-
toral bodies.
Until the Federal Election Institute, the top electoral authority,
becomes completely independent of the PRI, impartial elections are
an impossibility in Mexico.
Allowing foreign election monitors into the country would also
demonstrate Mexico's commitment to free elections. In addition, it
would give the electoral process much needed legitimacy, which
might, in turn, generate a higher voter turnout than is otherwise
expected from the largely disaffected Mexican electorate.
Finally, I strongly urge the Mexican Government to agree to the
Organization of American State's request to visit Mexico in con-
junction with the preparation ofits report on human rights in Mex-
ico. The OAS will produce a report whether or not the Mexican
Government cooperates, but it clearly is in the interests of every-
one for the OAS team to go to Mexico and to see for themselves
the complexity ofthe situation there.
As Canada, Mexico, and the United States embark on a closer re-
lationship, what happens in one of these three countries can have
a significant impact on the other two. Thus, it is very much in the
self-interest of the United States to focus attention on the defi-
ciencies in the Mexican Government's human rights performance
and the inadequacies in its protection of political and civil liberty
as to work with the Salinas government and its successor in trying
to rectify them.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Lantos appears in the appendix.]
I now would like to turn to my good friend, the distinguished
ranking Republican, Congressman Smith.
Mr. Smith. I thank my good friend, the chairman, for yielding.
Mr. Chairman, today's hearing is an important follow-up to the
hearing in early February which viewed the situation in Mexico in
the waKe of the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas. Mexico's challenges
have only intensified since that time. Almost 1 month has passed
since the assassination of PRI Presidential candidate Luis Donaldo
Colosio. As the nation mourned the death and regained its
composure. President Salinas and his party identified their new
candidate. President Salinas sought a candidate who would main-
tain a course of economic restructuring and one who committed