The PRI locksmith

The PRI locksmith

There are two possible interpretations left to the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) members, following the declarations of national party leader, Enrique Ochoa Reza during an interview with EL UNIVERSAL. He said, “I think the times for locks is over”, considering the possible modifications to the eligibility rules of the Presidential candidate for 2018. Now, the first interpretation among distinguished party members, our sources say, has to do with Mr. Enrique sounding out the delegates of the 22 National Assembly, who are, of course, in favor of this message, seeing that the PRI will have the possibility to widen its selection of presidential candidate nominees – if the “lock” regarding the 10 years of party affiliation is removed. The second interpretation, we're told, wasn't well received by the sector of the tough ones, under the argument that the party has strong enough political players to open up opportunities for others. In any case, they all wonder if perhaps Ochoa Reza has a hotline with Los Pinos, or if he took the liberty of disclosing the matter of the “locks”. Who is the real locksmith of the party?

Intellectuals and economy

Not all are interested in whether the PRI “locks” are unlocked or not. The members of the National College in Mexico held a meeting yesterday with the Finance Secretary, José Antonio Meade , and they didn't talk about “locks”, but Economy. We're told the intellectuals asked Mr. José Antonio to inform them in person about the economic situation of the country. According to our sources, Miguel León Portilla – one of the deans of this Institution – said the College needs to keep a permanent relationship with those in charge of shaping the course of Mexico. Attendants claim Meade opened up to the College, and notable meeting attendants were Enrique Krauze, José Ramón Cossío Díaz, Julio Frenk Mora, Javier Garcíadiego, José Antonio de la Peña, María Elena Medina-Mora, Mario Molina, José Sarukhán, Juan Villoro, and Vicente Quirarte.

Former PROFECO attorney finds a new home

We're told that, unless something unexpected happens, today Lorena Martinez, former governor candidate to Aguascalientes, will be appointed as the national leader of the Territorial Movement (MT) of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) . Our sources say the PRI member has had the approval of several groups, who took her in and helped her become the MT leader, replacing Alberto Escamilla Cerón – who was assigned to that post at the end of June 2016. Ms. Lorena, as you might remember, was the federal consumer attorney and then she was close to becoming the governor of her State.

Different points of view on power

An Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) member, who was a deputy and who then left the PRI to look for a Governor candidacy with another party, met at the airport the director of the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS) , Mikel Arriola, who was returning with his family Mexico City from a beach. The former PRI member, we're told, was surprised to see the director of the IMSS flying with a commercial airline, and a low cost one, to boot. "Doesn't the IMSS have private planes for its director to fly in?" asked the politician to Mr. Mikel. We're told Mr. Mikel said no, the IMSS doesn't have private planes but should that even be the case, they wouldn't be able to use them for personal trips or holidays. We're told that for work matters, the IMSS is allowed to rent planes, but that Arriola flies with commercial airlines and, on occasion, he catches a ride with someone. For family trips, he always uses commercial airlines and we're told he always looks for the cheapest airfares. Such are the different points of view on power.

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