Mancera forgoes the tie
The one who seems to be knee-deep in the emergency situation of the country's capital city is none other than its Mayor, Miguel Ángel Mancera . We're told that yesterday, Mr. Miguel arrived at the military base Campo 1 in jeans, black shoes, and a light jacket. The cause of the occasion was a military ceremony, the 30th Anniversary of the First Army Squad – squad of two of the Secretaries of Defense –, held by Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto – himself dressed in a dark suit, similar to the other members of his cabinet – and to which high-ranking military officials attended – among them the Secretaries of Defense and the Navy, clad in their official uniforms. Mancera has said lately he's been focused on rebuilding Mexico City and distributing the donations to the victims, and a bit removed from the political scenario and the presidential succession, and from protocol, it seems. However, our sources say there will be time for him to pick up his campaign again...and the ties.
Disgrace in the Senate?
Our sources say National Action Party (PAN) senator Marcela Torres has a debt with the Senate. Some Senators claim Ms. Marcela has brought disgrace by claiming that during the vote count to appoint the commissioner of the Federal Institute of Telecommunications there were three more votes. After counting the number of votes in the transparent urns, there were 112 – which was the exact number of senators present at the meeting. Given the accusation made by the senator, security tapes had to be watched and it was discovered that out of the 111 senators present, only one, Fidel Demedicis, put two votes – his and that of senator Miguel Barbosa, who was unable to attend the meeting and asked his colleague to place his vote inside the urn for him. In the end, we're told the urn only had 112 votes, so now the PAN legislator will have to apologize to the Senate or bring forth evidence to support her accusation.
“Handpicking” frowned upon at the Citizen's Front
Those who believed they had already secured a candidacy within the Citizen's Front for Mexico are witnessing the birth of a movement against “handpicking” which has slammed the proverbial door on their noses. First, the members of the National Action Party ( PAN ) Rafel Moreno Valle and Margarita Zavala, and member of the Democratic Revolution Party ( PRD ) Silvano Aureoles, demand that the presidential candidate of the Front be elected through the public vote of the people. Now, the New Alliance Party (PANAL) has conditioned its enrollment to have said candidate be chosen through a public votation. And lastly, several members of the Front are claiming the presidential candidate of the Front should be a citizen which no current or past involvement with political parties. They call this coherence because the name says it all: Citizen's Front for Mexico.
Barrales beats the Chuchos
We're told that yesterday, during the early hours, at the meeting of the Executive Committee of the Democratic Revolution Party ( PRD ), there was a strong argument over the austerity program. We're told the New Left movement claimed laying off staff wasn't going to be a significant measure and the program had to focus on other issues, such as image expenses, event organization, office supplies budget, and other unknowns. However, the proposal of their national leader Alejandra Barrales won 17 to 7 against the "Chuchos" – who advocated in favor of protecting the job positions of the party.