The split in the party
Emilio Chuayffet, the new leader of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) in the lower chamber of congress, is starting to assert himself. His first major act was to boot four supporters of his deposed predecessor, Elba Esther Gordillo, off the congressional finance committee. This ended the pro-government majority on the committee. Chuayffet is also going after other Elbistas. Tomás Ruiz, a former deputy finance minister and a technocrat, but pro-Gordillo, was kicked off the congressional audit commission before Christmas.
Senior Priístas are worried that the feuding and score-settling may get out of hand. Manuel Angel Núñez Soto, the governor of Hidalgo, said that the party must not become a brake on the country's development. He said that the PRI must be a positive force in the country and a can-do sort of party. He argued that the PRI had traditionally been committed to the long-term development of the country. He said that it was not clear that the current party hierarchy had this outlook.
The implication is that the party president, Roberto Madrazo, and his lieutenants are putting tactical political advantage above the future of the country. Núñez Soto said that, for the first time in years, the PRI has ceased to be a revolutionary party with clear policies. He said that for the past five years, the political process had been stalled because of the lack of a government majority in congress.
Núñez Soto's criticisms are close to those of the government. President Vicente Fox and his government claim that the PRI, led by Roberto Madrazo nationally, and by Chuayffet in the lower chamber of congress, is a populist party which will not take the hard economic decisions the country needs.
The interior minister, Santiago Creel, who handles the government's relations with congress, criticised Madrazo before Christmas for the disparaging remarks he had made about Fox. Madrazo had said that Fox should stop trying to find people to blame for the problems of the country and focus on finding solutions. He also called on Fox to stop being so aggressive in seeking fiscal reform. Fox retorted that he was not advocating fiscal reform for his own health but because Mexico needs it.
Separately, Gordillo sought an injunction against the president of congress, Juan de Dios Castro, who was formerly Fox's private secretary. She claimed that the PRI putsch against her was illegal. If the courts grant the injunction it will be the first time that they have interfered in the administration of congress. The first judge called to rule on whether the case was admissible said that it was not.
Gordillo, the number two in the party nationally and the deposed leader of the party in the lower chamber, said that she was setting up a new group - still inside the PRI - of reformers. She then announced that 59 deputies were following her. The PRI has 224 deputies in congress, following the election reruns on 7 December 2003.
The dominant faction of the PRI plus its allies - the Partido de la Revolución Democrática, the Partido Verde Ecologista de México, and the Partido del Trabajo - grandly calling itself the Nueva Mayoría Social Demócrata (NMSD), commands a blocking majority of the 500-seat lower chamber of congress. Whether it also commands a majority to push through innovative policies is more doubtful.
Senior Priístas are worried that the feuding and score-settling may get out of hand. Manuel Angel Núñez Soto, the governor of Hidalgo, said that the party must not become a brake on the country's development. He said that the PRI must be a positive force in the country and a can-do sort of party. He argued that the PRI had traditionally been committed to the long-term development of the country. He said that it was not clear that the current party hierarchy had this outlook.
The implication is that the party president, Roberto Madrazo, and his lieutenants are putting tactical political advantage above the future of the country. Núñez Soto said that, for the first time in years, the PRI has ceased to be a revolutionary party with clear policies. He said that for the past five years, the political process had been stalled because of the lack of a government majority in congress.
Núñez Soto's criticisms are close to those of the government. President Vicente Fox and his government claim that the PRI, led by Roberto Madrazo nationally, and by Chuayffet in the lower chamber of congress, is a populist party which will not take the hard economic decisions the country needs.
The interior minister, Santiago Creel, who handles the government's relations with congress, criticised Madrazo before Christmas for the disparaging remarks he had made about Fox. Madrazo had said that Fox should stop trying to find people to blame for the problems of the country and focus on finding solutions. He also called on Fox to stop being so aggressive in seeking fiscal reform. Fox retorted that he was not advocating fiscal reform for his own health but because Mexico needs it.
Separately, Gordillo sought an injunction against the president of congress, Juan de Dios Castro, who was formerly Fox's private secretary. She claimed that the PRI putsch against her was illegal. If the courts grant the injunction it will be the first time that they have interfered in the administration of congress. The first judge called to rule on whether the case was admissible said that it was not.
Gordillo, the number two in the party nationally and the deposed leader of the party in the lower chamber, said that she was setting up a new group - still inside the PRI - of reformers. She then announced that 59 deputies were following her. The PRI has 224 deputies in congress, following the election reruns on 7 December 2003.
The dominant faction of the PRI plus its allies - the Partido de la Revolución Democrática, the Partido Verde Ecologista de México, and the Partido del Trabajo - grandly calling itself the Nueva Mayoría Social Demócrata (NMSD), commands a blocking majority of the 500-seat lower chamber of congress. Whether it also commands a majority to push through innovative policies is more doubtful.