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Energy protesters take over Congress



By Upstream staff 

Mexico's lower house of Congress was shut down last night as opposition lawmakers took over the chamber to protest President Felipe Calderon's bill to open the state oil industry to private and foreign investment.

Lawmakers from the opposition Party of the Democratic Revolution, or PRD, covered the lower house leadership's podium with a banner that read "Closed in defence of oil,'' prompting the Speaker of the House Ruth Zavaleta to suspend the session.

Earlier this week, Calderon presented a bill to Congress that would give state oil company Pemex more freedom to hire foreign and private companies to explore, produce, refine and transport oil.

Opponents have called the proposal a betrayal of Mexico's constitution that would transfer Mexico's nationalised oil sector to the local business elite and foreigners.

"From this moment forward, we begin peaceful civil resistance,'' Bloomberg quoted Ricardo Monreal, the PRD's vice co-ordinator in the Senate, as saying.

"If they want, let them send for the armed forces to move us, we'll stay here.''

The Senate was temporarily disrupted by separate PRD protests and then resumed its session.

"I condemn these actions,'' said Senator Santiago Creel, a member of Calderon's party and leader in the Senate. "They cancel the possibility of dialogue and by doing that they cancel the possibility of any debate.''

Former presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and members of the PRD have promised to hold protests against the proposed bill at congressional buildings, airports and financial institutions, Bloomberg reported.

At least 900 women who support Lopez Obrador are waiting near Congress to block the entrance today, Mexico City based daily El Universal reported.

"If it becomes necessary, we will find another place for Congress to meet,'' said Emilio Gamboa, head of the Institutional Revolutionary Party in the lower house. "We need to find a way to reach an agreement with all the lawmakers so we can continue working.''

The proposed reforms may add 150 billion pesos ($14.2 billion) to the state oil company's revenue by 2011 or 2012, Calderon said today in a speech to business leaders in Mexico City.


Friday, 11 April, 2008, 07:34 GMT  | last updated: Friday, 11 April, 2008, 07:37 GMT

"Closed down": protesters make their feelings known about planned energy sector reforms, taking over the floor of Mexico's Congress and unfurling a banner reading "closed down"
 

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