Mexican voters oppose Calderon's plan for oil industry

Turnout was light, but voters in a nonbinding referendum gave an overwhelming "no" to President Felipe Calderon's proposal to give private firms a bigger role in Mexico's government-controlled petroleum industry, reports the L.A. Times' Marla Dickerson.

More than 80% of those who cast ballots Sunday in Mexico City opposed the plan, according to the official tally of the federal district released Monday. The results were even more lopsided outside the capital, where nine of Mexico's 31 states also participated. With about two-thirds of the ballots counted, more than 90% of those voters gave the president's proposal a thumbs down.

Slightly more than 1.5 million people cast ballots Sunday. Organizers had been hoping for a turnout twice that size in the greater Mexico City area alone.

But according to El Universal here in Mexico this morning, Calderon said in a meeting last night that the Consulta Ciudadana failed to achieve its objective of discrediting his reforms, and that it had been designed to obstruct the discussion.

Read more about the results of the ballot on the future of Mexico's oil here, and watch a video of Mexicans voting Sunday here.

-- Deborah Bonello in Mexico City

Photo: A woman wears a T-Shirt which says "I decide" during a voting session Sunday in Mexico City's Zocalo. Those who took part voted "no" on the question of opening up parts of Mexico's nationalized oil company Pemex to outsiders. Credit: Deborah Bonello / Los Angeles Times.

Comments

[pc]

MB, that's silly, the reform is going to pass regardless of this referendum, which was little more than a publicity stunt. According to most opinion polls, a majority of Mexicans everywhere are in favor of the proposed reform (including Mexico City, at least according to Excelsior).

[MB]

you see...mexico will not make hard decisions to fix its own economy....it has the relief valve of just sending its citizens to the US. it will never reform as long as it doesn't have to.

this will also drive up oil prices in the long run.

mexico is no friend

reconquista is underway!!!