•HCON 250 IH
March 1994, including massive manipulation of the elec-
toral registry;
Whereas the Department of State’s Country Reports on
Human Rights Practices for 1993 outlines continuing re-
ports 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 democ-
racy 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 sta-
bility in Mexico, highlighted by armed unrest in the State
of Chiapas, and by civil demonstrations calling for demo-
cratic reform throughout the country;
Whereas Mexican leaders from across the political spectrum
have recognized the need for political and electoral re-
form 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 Agree-
ment for Peace, Democracy and Justice, designed to re-
form Mexico’s electoral system and to establish proce-
dures for free and fair elections;
Whereas this agreement calls for the establishment of an
independent election-monitoring authority and require-
ments 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 visi-
tors at polling stations, guarantee egalitarian media ac-
•HCON 250 IH
cess for all political parties, and put the Federal Elec-
toral 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 Agree-
ment requires the United States and Mexico to cooperate
in achieving high standards of democracy: Now, there-
fore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress—
(1) expresses its support for the efforts of the
Government of Mexico and the major political par-
ties and concerned members of civic society in Mex-
ico to reform that country’s political and electoral
processes and to ensure free and fair elections;
(2) urges the Government of Mexico and the
major political parties and concerned members of
civic society in Mexico to implement fully in law and
in practice, in advance of the August 1994 elections,
the reforms enumerated in the Agreement for Peace,
Democracy and Justice of January 1994, includ-
ing—
•HCON 250 IH
(A) the establishment of impartial and au-
tonomous electoral authorities at the federal,
state, and local levels;
(B) guaranteed egalitarian access to the
media;
(C) assuring the reliability of the electoral
register and voter identification lists; and
(D) prohibition of the use of public re-
sources for the benefit of any political party or
electoral campaign; and
(3) endorses the invitation extended by the Gov-
ernment of Mexico, and the major political parties
and concerned members of civic society in Mexico, to
representatives of the United Nations to provide
technical assistance to domestic Mexican election ob-
servers, supports the expansion of that invitation to
include full scale international observation of the up-
coming elections, and encourages representatives of
the United Nations to work closely and directly with
domestic Mexican observers during that process.
Æ