08/19/10 – The head representatives for the Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional –PRI) in Congress, Senator Manlio Fabio Beltrones and Deputy Francisco Rojas, as well as the Chamber of Deputies representative for the Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolución Democrática –PRD), Alejandro Encinas, and Senator Ricardo Monreal of the Labour Party (Partido del Trabajo –PT), rejected President Felipe Calderón’s invitation to the Security Dialogues he convened them to-hours before it started.
Yesterday around midday invitations to the dialogue on security, hosted by President Calderón, began to circulate amongst the parliamentary leaders in the Senate. The President told the representatives that the purpose of the convocation was to consolidate State policy through a frank, inclusive, and constructive open dialogue that “takes [them] beyond any differences to a joint position against a common enemy.” He also highlighted that a political State on the issue at hand is unthinkable without the participation and commitment of the three tiers of government and all political forces.
Beltrones, who sent the President a letter apologizing for not attending the meeting, said he declined the invitation because he would be leading a convocation that was set up well in advance and that will be attended by academic researchers and parliamentarians from Mexico and the exterior. Francisco Rojas declined stating that the Executive and the Legislative powers may provide an effective dialogue and formulate proposals on public security once Congress knows the results of the Presidential Report of September 1st. While the PRI leader, Alejandro Encinas, declined in keeping with the resolution of the Tenth National Congress of the PRD, in which it was determined not to recognize the head of the government, let alone partake in any kind of dialogues with him.
Sources:
Mercado, Angélica, and Fernando Damián. “Beltrones y Rojas dicen no a llamado presidencial.” Milenio. 19 Agosto, 2010.
Michel, Elena, and Jorge Ramos. “Inicia FCH Diálogos sin legisladores de oposición.” El Universal. 19 Agosto, 2010.
Informador. “Tren parlamentario.” Informador. 19 Agosto, 2010.
