Mexico: The Foro Democratico Agrupacion Politica Nacional, including its activities, opponents and leadership in Veracruz, and media references to a particular member
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 6 February 2001 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | MEX36340.E |
| Reference | 5 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Mexico: The Foro Democratico Agrupacion Politica Nacional, including its activities, opponents and leadership in Veracruz, and media references to a particular member, 6 February 2001, MEX36340.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be6a4.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Foro Democrático (Democratic Forum) is mentioned by various sources as a political group.
One source states that the Partido del Foro Democrático was founded in 1993 by dissidents of the Partido Accion Nacional and was led by Pablo Emilio Madero (National Action Party, PAN), with a "Christian Democrat" platform (Tehuacan 3 July 2000).
A biographical note on the current Attorney General (Procurador General) of the Federal District, Bernardo Bátiz Vázquez, describes Mr. Bátiz as a founder of the Foro Democratico, "which soon after joined the Party of the Democratic Revolution" (que poco después se integró al PRD) (Epoca 12 Dec. 2000). He was a PAN member from 1965 to 1992, and was twice elected a federal deputy, the first time in the XLVIII legislature and the second time in the most recent one (LII), occupying a seat for the PRD (ibid.; PRD 3 May 2000). A PRD profile of its candidates for the 2000 general elections states that he has been a member and leader of the Foro Democratic since 1992, and was nominated as a candidate for senator for the Federal District by the PRD, as part of the Alianza Democratica Nacional (National Democratic Alliance) in 1994 (ibid.). Another source states that Mr. Bátiz founded the "Foro Democratico Social Cristiano" with Jesús González Schmall, "among other former PAN members" (entre otros ex panistas) (La Crónica 21 Nov. 2000).
In 1996 the Foro Democratico party was reportedly led by Jesús González Schmall, who publicly criticized the payment of foreign debt at the expense of basic needs of the population, called for an electoral system allowing political coalitions to run for the presidency, and called on members of the PAN to "rectify their stand" of support for the policies of the Salinas administration (Excelsior 5 Nov. 1996).
A 1998 press summary from the State of Nayarit names Manuel Zamora Casal as the person in charge of the national commission (responsable de la comisión nacional) of the Foro Democratico (Nayarit Hoy 23 Oct. 1998). Mr. Zamora is quoted as saying that civil society had "surpassed" (rebasó) all political parties and that general citizen participation was necessary for a single national group to register as a political party that would bring the democratic change needed by the population (ibid.). A more recent press summary from the University of Veracruz cites an article attributed to a Manuel Zamora Casal as criticizing students striking at the National Autonomous Univeristy of Mexico (UNAM), for being opposed to the will of the majority of UNAM students and being "pawns manipulated by the government of the Federal District and the PRD" (peones ... manipulados desde el gobierno del DF y el PRD) (Universidad de Veracruz 15 May 1999).
In mid-1999 the Instituto Federal Electoral (Federal Electoral Institute, IFE) registered political parties intending to run in the 2000 general elections as well as changes within national political groups (agrupaciones políticas nacionales); the Foro Democrático is named as one of those national political groups for which the IFE registered changes in their "basic documents" (documentos básicos), and one of 44 national political groups registered under such designation before the IFE (La Jornada 1 July 1999). However, in March 2000 the IFE indicated that there were only 41 national political groups in its registry, and provided a definition of "national political groups":
As of 1996, the electoral legislation recognizes national political groups as a form of citizen association that contributes to the development of democratic life, political culture, and citizen information. These political groups cannot be in any case defined as "political parties" and they can only participate in federal electoral processes through participation agreements with a political party.
This register is also granted and approved by IFE. In order to obtain it, groups must count on a minimum of 7,000 members, a national directive organism, branches in at least 10 federal states, basic documents, and a distinctive name. Registered political groups (currently 41) have a right to public financing to support their editorial activities, political education and training, and political as well as socioeconomic research.
Both political parties and national political groups are subject to a financial inspection regime. They must turn in yearly informs to the Federal Electoral Institute on the origin, handling and aim of their resources (IFE 22 Mar. 2000).
In June 2000 IFE reported that Foro Democratico was one a number of national political groups being fined by the electoral authority for "irregularities" (irregularidades) found in their annual reports of revenues and expenses; Foro Democratico was fined 1,895 pesos (IFE 23 June 2000).
An October 2000 article refers to Pablo Emilio Madero as the founder of the late Partido Foro Democratico and currently a leading member of the Partido Alianza Social (Social Alliance Party, PAS) (Excelsior 8 Oct. 2000). He spoke at a celebration in his honour at an UNAM facility and hosted by the Foro Democratico, "now a national political group" (ibid.).
Later in October 2000, one of the coordinators of the transition team of president-elect Vicente Fox met with representatives of approximately 50 non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to request that they keep elected authorites under permanent vigilance (sean los vigilantes permanentes) (Causa Ciudadana Oct. 2000). The NGOs in turn asked the transition team coordinator for guarantees that the state would remain secular (laicidad del estado) and clarification of the role that NGOs would be allowed to play under the new administration (ibid.). Foro Democratico is listed as one of the most prominent groups present at the meeting (ibid.).
The only reference to Foro Democratico activities in the State of Veracruz found within the time constraints of this Response is its mention as one of six "civil organizations" (organizaciónes civiles) deploying a total of 300 electoral observers throughout the state of Veracruz for its municipal elections in October 1997, "to guarantee calm and respect for voting, and prevent fraud" (para garantizar la tranquilidad respeto al voto y evitar prácticas fraudulentas) (La Jornada 9 Oct. 1997). The six organizations reportedly expressed concern over the "political climate" (clima electoral) in Veracruz at that point, and called on electoral authorities to act impartially (ibid.).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Causa Ciudadana, Agrupación Política Nacional (APN), Mexico City. October 2000. Boletín Informativo No. 16. "Pide Elizondo a las ONGs Vigilar la Labor del Presidente y Legisladores."
Epoca [Mexico City]. 12 December 2000. "El gabinete de Lopez Obrador en el Distrito Federal."
Excelsior [Mexico City]. 8 October 2000. "Quiere empañar la transición."
_____. 5 November 1996. "Un Sistema Pluralista, lo que Necesitamos: JGS."
Instituto Federal Electoral (IFE), Mexico City. 23 June 2000. "Comunicados de Prensa."
_____. 22 March 2000. " Federal Electoral Process 2000: General Information."
La Crónica [Mexico City]. 21 November 2000. "¿Quiénes Son?"
La Jornada [Mexico City]. 1 July 1999. José Gil Olmos. "Dio el IFE registro a seis nuevos partidos; contenderán en el 2000."
_____. 9 October 1997. "Cortar los dedos a culpables de robo, propone candidato panista en Jalapa."
_____. 16 March 1997. Rosa Icela Rodriguez. "Muñoz Ledo, Luna Kan, María Rojo, Bátiz, Sodi y Ortiz Pinchetti para las diputaciones." [http://www.jornada.unam. mx/1997/mar97/970316/candidatos.html> [Accessed 2 Feb. 2001]
Nayarit Hoy [Tepic, Nay.]. 23 October 1998. "Síntesis de Prensa."
Partido de la Revolución Democrática (PRD), Mexico City. 3 May 2000. "Cuarta Circunscripción."
Tehuacan [Tehuacan]. 3 July 2000. "Plataforma, Líderes y Partidos Políticos."
Universidad de Veracruz, Jalapa. 15 May 1999. "Síntesis Informativa Vía Internet."