A master class of political muscle *

MEXICO - In Brief 22 Aug 2013 by Mauricio Gonzalez

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This week, the Mexican Congress is discussing in –an extraordinary session– the three secondary laws regarding the recent Constitutional amendments on education. These changes will bring tougher tests on teachers and will bring upon an autonomous institute in charge of evaluating their performance and that of their students. These modifications were not well received by the dissident branch of the teachers union, the Coordinadora (CNTE), which has launched a major offensive trying to stop Congress from passing those laws.The CNTE staged a blockade on the House, forcing the whole Congress to session in a different venue, as well as a major sit-in on the main square of Mexico City. They have also succeeded in stopping Congress from voting the thorniest law regarding teachers’ evaluation and their career track. The CNTE is a radical group that could complicate the political scenario of the major reforms (energy and fiscal) that are due in September. They can launch harsher protests before any modification on the VAT, and can join forces with Andrés Manuel López Obrador (who is calling for a large meeting on Mexico City’s Zocalo on September 8th) on his protests against opening up the energy sector to private investment.The government has repeatedly tried to negotiate with the Teachers, alas, with no clear success at least in stopping their social protests. Hence. So far, members of the PRI and the PRD have leaned towards preventing conflict rather than pushing for a stronger educational system, and by doing it, they are setting a very unfavorable precedent before the discussions of the fiscal and energy reforms.  *written by Esteban Manteca Associate Partner-Political Spe...