Mexico: Information on government control of petroleum workers' union and influence of the union on government and police, particularly in the state of Oaxaca, 1989-1991

Please find attached a few news articles which report on the Mexican petroleum workers' union, known also by the acronym SRTPRM. The articles date back to 1989 and focus on the arrest of the union's leader. Please note that detailed reports on political events, corruption or unrest in Mexico, particularly outside Mexico city, are scarce (for a discussion of freedom of information in Mexico, please consult sources available at your regional documentation centre or through the Ottawa IRBDC). The only cases in which Oaxaca is mentioned are brief references to workers' walkouts protesting the leader's arrest. However, the articles contain more detailed references to the extent of government and union influence.

 The SRTPRM is reported as being a sector of the Mexican Workers Congress, "the umbrella group for organized labour in the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party" (Los Angeles Times 12 Jan. 1989). According to the attached articles, the Mexican government had in the past "maintained close ties with the union" (New York Times 11 Jan. 1989), and allegedly acted to remove the union's leader when he became a threat to the government's interests (Mexico & Central America 16 Feb. 1989). One report indicates that "the SRTPRM provided financial support for the opposition candidate Cuauhtemoc Cardenas in the 1988 presidential election" (Ibid.).

 The government placed a person of its choice as leader, in an election which one report describes as follows:

No union dissidents were allowed inside the union hall

thursday. There was no alternate slate of candidates to

lead the union, and no discussion before the vote.

(Los Angeles Times 3 Feb. 1989)

 The same source states that the union's leader, Hernandez

Galicia, controlled the union for more than 25 years, managing

"union businesses, real estate and aircraft worth hundreds of

millions of dollars" adding that "he also managed politicians,

from mayors to senators" (Ibid.). His successor was reportedly picked by the government mainly because he was an enemy of Hernandez Galicia and his leadership would end "the union's power to challenge the president" (Ibid.).

 As mentioned above, although no specific reference to a union section in Oaxaca is made, a walkout by oil workers was reported in Oaxaca after Hernandez Galicia's arrest (New York Times 10 Jan. 1989). A reference to union sections is made when reporting that the new leader of the union reportedly gained "the backing of the 32 union sections and their leaders" by redistributing union funds among the sections (Los Angeles Times 3 Feb. 1989).

 More recent references and additional information on the requested subjects could not be found among the sources currently available to the IRBDC.

 Bibliography

Latin America Regional Reports: Mexico & Central America

[London, U.K.]. 16 February 1989. "Government Attacks Oilworkers Union; Salinas Picks New Boss to Replace Arrested Leaders." (NEXIS)

Los Angeles Times. 3 February 1989. "Government Ally Replaces Jailed Mexico Union Chief." (NEXIS)

. "Mexico's Arrest of Oil Union Chief Spurs Panic Buying at Gas Stations." (NEXIS)

The New York Times. 11 January 1989. "Leader of Mexican Oil Workers' Union Arrested." (NEXIS)

 Attachments

Latin America Regional Reports: Mexico & Central America

[London, U.K.]. 16 February 1989. "Government Attacks Oilworkers' Union; Salinas Picks New Boss to Replace Arrested Leaders." (NEXIS)

Los Angeles Times. 3 February 1989. "Government Ally Replaces Jailed Mexico Union Chief." (NEXIS)

. "Mexico's Arrest of Oil Union Chief Spurs Panic Buying at Gas Stations." (NEXIS)

The New York Times. 11 January 1989. "Leader of Mexican Oil

Workers' Union Arrested." (NEXIS)