IV

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 250

Expressing the sense of the Congress in support of efforts by the Government

of Mexico, and the major political parties and concerned members of

civic society in Mexico, to reform Mexico’s political and electoral processes

and ensure free and fair elections.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MAY 17, 1994

Mr. BONIOR (for himself, Mr. TORRICELLI, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. BROWN of

Ohio, Mr. ENGEL, Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. LAFALCE, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mrs. MEEK, Mr. PETERSON of Minnesota,

Mr. RUSH, Mr. SERRANO, Mrs. THURMAN, Ms. VELA ́ZQUEZ, and Mr.

WYNN) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred

to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Congress in support of efforts

by the Government of Mexico, and the major political

parties and concerned members of civic society in Mexico,

to reform Mexico’s political and electoral processes and

ensure free and fair elections.

Whereas the United States and Mexico share a common border;

Whereas the people of the United States and the people of

Mexico have extensive cultural and historical ties that

bind together families and communities across national

boundaries;
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Whereas a close relationship between the United States and

Mexico, based on mutual respect and understanding, is

important to the peoples of both nations;

Whereas the North American Free Trade Agreement, which

is designed to increase trade, promote expanded economic

activity, and enhance cooperation on issues of mutual interest between the United States and Mexico, entered

into force on January 1, 1994;

Whereas the implementation of the North American Free

Trade Agreement presents new opportunities for an even

closer relationship between the United States and Mexico;

Whereas the development of such a relationship is currently

hampered by several obstacles, including allegations of

irregularities in Mexico’s electoral process;

Whereas since 1929 Mexico’s ruling Revolutionary Institutional Party has maintained exclusive control over Mexico’s electoral apparatus, including voter registration lists

and processes, vote tabulation systems, and all bodies responsible for election oversight, review, and certification;

Whereas assertions have previously surfaced that the ruling

party has inappropriately manipulated this apparatus to

win municipal, state, and federal elections;

Whereas specific instances of electoral irregularities and

fraud were widely reported during elections held in the

State of Yucatan in December 1993, including voter

turnout rates that approached or exceeded 100 percent in

at least 20 voting districts and a statewide electrical

power failure as ballots were being counted;

Whereas specific instances of electoral fraud were widely reported during elections held in the State of Morelos in
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March 1994, including massive manipulation of the electoral registry;

Whereas the Department of State’s Country Reports on

Human Rights Practices for 1993 outlines continuing reports of serious abuses of human rights and labor rights,

and serious abuses of indigenous populations in Mexico,

which many analysts trace to a lack of genuine democracy in Mexico’s political system;

Whereas this history and pattern of events have contributed

to growing concerns on the eve of national elections

scheduled for August 1994 about political and social stability in Mexico, highlighted by armed unrest in the State

of Chiapas, and by civil demonstrations calling for democratic reform throughout the country;

Whereas Mexican leaders from across the political spectrum

have recognized the need for political and electoral reform and have begun to take steps to achieve these goals;

Whereas in January 1994 Mexico’s major political parties

joined together in an agreement, known as the Agreement for Peace, Democracy and Justice, designed to reform Mexico’s electoral system and to establish procedures for free and fair elections;

Whereas this agreement calls for the establishment of an

independent election-monitoring authority and requirements that all parties receive fair treatment by the mass

media;

Whereas the Government of Mexico announced in February

1994 its intention to present an electoral reform package

to a special legislative session of the Mexican Congress,

including provisions that would place international visitors at polling stations, guarantee egalitarian media ac-
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cess for all political parties, and put the Federal Electoral Institute under nonpartisan direction;

Whereas the Mexican Congress met in a special session in

March 1994 to adopt the constitutional amendments that

are needed to form the basis of these electoral reforms,

and met in April and May 1994 to adopt the necessary

statutory changes;

Whereas the presence of international observers can enhance

the confidence of the Mexican people that their votes will

be respected; and

Whereas the spirit of the North American Free Trade Agreement requires the United States and Mexico to cooperate

in achieving high standards of democracy: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That the Congress—

3 (1) expresses its support for the efforts of the

4 Government of Mexico and the major political par5 ties and concerned members of civic society in Mex6 ico to reform that country’s political and electoral

7 processes and to ensure free and fair elections;

8 (2) urges the Government of Mexico and the

9 major political parties and concerned members of

10 civic society in Mexico to implement fully in law and

11 in practice, in advance of the August 1994 elections,

12 the reforms enumerated in the Agreement for Peace,

13 Democracy and Justice of January 1994, includ14 ing—
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1 (A) the establishment of impartial and au2 tonomous electoral authorities at the federal,

3 state, and local levels;

4 (B) guaranteed egalitarian access to the

5 media;

6 (C) assuring the reliability of the electoral

7 register and voter identification lists; and

8 (D) prohibition of the use of public re9 sources for the benefit of any political party or

10 electoral campaign; and

11 (3) endorses the invitation extended by the Gov12 ernment of Mexico, and the major political parties

13 and concerned members of civic society in Mexico, to

14 representatives of the United Nations to provide

15 technical assistance to domestic Mexican election ob16 servers, supports the expansion of that invitation to

17 include full scale international observation of the up18 coming elections, and encourages representatives of

19 the United Nations to work closely and directly with

20 domestic Mexican observers during that process.

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