VZCZCXYZ0425
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHME #0608/01 0602036
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 292036Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0720
INFO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS MEXICO 000608 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL PINR MX
SUBJECT:  IFE REFORMS TAKE HOLD 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY.  Electoral reform legislation adopted last September 
included a provision requiring Congress to replace three of the 
Federal Electoral Institute's (IFE) members by December.  Congress, 
however, proved unable to forge consensus around three candidates 
until February when it agreed to appoint each of the candidates 
nominated by the three major political parties represented in the 
Mexican Congress.  Although PRD's candidate Leonardo Valdz Zurita 
was named IFE President, PRD leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador 
(AMLO) rejected the naming of the three as a significant advance. 
Valdez already caused a minor stir with his decision to look into 
some 262,000 claims of campaign violations relating to the 2006 
presidential elections.  Mid-term elections for the Chamber of 
Deputies scheduled for 2009 should prove its first noteworthy test. 
End Summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
Recasting the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) 
--------------------------------------------- -- 
¶2.  The Mexican Congress passed electoral reform legislation last 
September.  Its most important provisions included the following: 
 
- No private funding allowed for airtime on television or radio. 
 
- Public spending limits for presidential elections cut in half. 
 
- Political campaigns limited to three months before the vote. 
 
- Negative campaign messages prohibited. 
 
- A new position of comptroller within IFE created to examine the 
bank accounts of the political parties. 
 
- All nine IFE General Council members replaced on a staggered 
basis. 
 
¶3.  The provision to replace three of the IFE counselors by December 
generated some political controversy.  PRD's AMLO had charged that 
the IFE had demonstrated political bias in ruling he had lost an 
extremely close 2006 presidential race.  PRD had made electoral 
reform a priority as a concession from the Calderon administration 
in exchange for supporting fiscal reform.  Historically, IFE has 
proved one of the Mexican government's more respectable, independent 
institutions.  Some within Calderon's PAN party objected to agreeing 
to change its membership out of concern this would overly politicize 
the institution.  Ultimately, however, PAN agreed to give Congress 
the authority to appoint nine new counselors to IFE over the next 
two years. 
 
¶4.  Congress was not able to forge consensus on the first three new 
appointees to the IFE by the December 13 deadline it had set for 
itself.  However, lengthy negotiations finally produced agreement 
February 07, to appoint the nominee of each of three major political 
parties represented in the Mexican Congress.  The three appointed by 
Congress include: 
 
- Leonardo Valdz Zurita - Appointed to be IFE President with his 
term expiring October 2013.  Valdez, nominated by PRD, is regarded 
as an expert on political and election issues.  The founder of a 
Center focused on electoral procedures, a member of the Specialized 
Group on Electoral Studies at the Mexican Council of Social 
Sciences, and the former Executive Director of the IFE's Electoral 
Organization, Valdez is also a former counselor of Mexico City's 
Electoral Institute (IEDF).  Valdez taught at el Colegio de Mexico 
and UAM and worked most as an investigator for the University of 
Guanajuato.  He is an economist by profession and holds a PhD on 
Social Sciences from el Colegio de Mexico. 
 
- Benito Nacif Hernndez - Appointed to be an IFE Counselor with his 
term expiring October 2016.  Nominated by PAN, Nacif is regarded as 
an expert on congressional relations with the executive branch, 
political parties, and electoral systems. 
 
He served prior as a coordinator of a legislative project focusing 
on transparency in the Congress and also as Director of the 
Political Studies Division at CIDE (Center of Research and Economic 
Studies - Centro de Investigacisn y Docencias Econsmicas).  He has 
authored several books including Understanding the Political 
Institutions and Understanding the Mexican Legislative Power.  Nacif 
is a public administrator by profession.  He received his under 
graduate degree from El Colegio de Mexico and holds a PhD in 
Political Sciences from the Oxford University. 
 
- Marco Antonio Baos - Appointed to be an IFE Counselor with his 
term expiring October 2016.  Nominated by PRI, Baos is the founder 
of a consultancy company, DEMOS S.C, on electoral procedures.  Baos 
served as Head of the Department of Political Studies at the 
Interior Secretariat (SEGOB) and taught at UNAM, ITAM and UNAP 
Universities.  He also was one of founders of the electoral body 
that preceded IFE.  A lawyer by profession, he received his degree 
from UNAM. 
 
---------------------------------------- 
Valdez Already Stirring Some Controversy 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  Only several days into his job as IFE President, Valdez 
announced February 21, that he plans to look into the some 262,000 
claims of improper media spots tracing back to the 2006 presidential 
campaign.  He has also promised to rule on the disposition of the 
ballots from the 2006 elections which are currently occupying 
significant space in IFE offices.  In September 2006, IFE 
acknowledged noteworthy media abuses during the 2006 electoral 
campaigned but ruled Calderon the legitimate winner notwithstanding. 
 It is not entirely clear what Valdez intends to accomplish by 
reopening this controversial subject. 
 
¶6.  Comment:  Congress agreed to turn over membership to the IFE and 
appoint PRD's candidate as IFE President as part of an effort to 
appease PRD claims of bias tracing back to the 2006 elections. 
Nevertheless, PRD leader AMLO has rejected all three of the new 
appointees claiming that each is linked to either the PAN or PRI. 
Valdez's new look at charges of improper media spots relating to the 
2006 elections may generate some controversy but should not call 
into the ultimate results of that election or challenge Calderon's 
legitimacy.  Mid-term elections to the Mexican Chamber of Deputies 
scheduled for July 2009, on the other hand, should prove the first 
noteworthy test of the new IFE's integrity in adjudicating Mexican 
election races.  End comment. 
 
 
 
GARZA