Fue Manuel Camacho Solís, por el PRI, Fernando Canales Clariond, PAN, y el polémico Porfirio Muñoz Ledo por el PRD, se enfrentaron en un debate político que fue el inicio de la lucha democrática de México.
POR FRANCISCO DURAN ROSILLO/GOOGLE BLOGGER
World
POR FRANCISCO DURAN ROSILLO/GOOGLE BLOGGER
World
In Mexican Race, Debate (in U.S.) Hits Home
By LARRY ROHTER, Special to the New York Times
Published: June 18, 1988
SAN DIEGO, June 17— Ever since Mexico's presidential campaign began last fall, opposition parties have been clamoring for a debate with the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party. On Thursday night, on American soil, they got as close to that goal as they are likely to come before next month's balloting.
At a conference here, the closest political associate of Carlos Salinas de Gortari, the ruling party's candidate, fielded questions and responded to criticism from leaders of parties of both the right and the left. The session was sponsored by the Center for United States-Mexican Studies of the University of California at San Diego, and was attended by journalists, intellectuals and political leaders from Mexico and the United States.
Though obviously fired by partisan passions, the exchange, in Spanish, turned into an unusually thoughtful discussion of the nature of democracy and what Mexico must do to transform a political system in which one party, accused of vote fraud and corruption, has held power for 60 years without interruption, largely ignoring its rivals.
Speaking on behalf of the ruling party, known as the PRI, was Manuel Camacho Solis, a close friend and former college classmate of Mr. Salinas who is now Minister of Urban Development and Ecology. While acknowledging that ''it is undeniable that the PRI needs reform,'' he argued: ''Our political problem is not the survival of the regime. We continue to maintain the support of the principal organized forces of the country.''
But Porfirio Munoz Ledo, chief political strategist of the National Democratic Front, complained that Mr. Camacho's language indicated that the dominant party has not yet rid itself of ''the old concept of the unity of state and party,'' which he described as being ''of totalitarian origin.'' He argued that until political parties alternate power, it is impossible to say that Mexico is a true democracy.
Mr. Munoz Ledo, a former president of the Institutional Revolutionary Party who broke with it last year, called on Mr. Camacho to endorse that principle. Mr. Camacho said it would be inappropriate to do so outside of Mexico, and argued that there is ''no need to speak of personalities or percentages of the vote'' because PRI leaders have promised that ''we will have clean elections.'' Fernando Canales Clariond of the right-of-center National Action Party, who says he was
deprived of victory by fraud in a gubernatorial race in 1985, chose a more direct approach. He accused the Institutional Revolutionary Party of using the Government budget to benefit the party, of manipulating news organizations and of intimidating
opposition candidates for office.
''If that is democracy, in which book did you read that definition?'' Mr. Canales Clariond asked Mr. Camacho sharply. A representative of the Mexican Socialist Party, Adolfo Sanchez, also took part in the discussion. No-Win Situation for Salinas Opposition candidates have said they are willing to meet Mr. Salinas any time, anywhere, under any conditions. But Jorge de la Vega Dominguez, president of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, said earlier this year that the ruling party was content to let the competing party platforms speak for themselves.
Mexican political analysts say Mr. Salinas has avoided a debate because it is a no-win proposition for him. Though persuasive and humorous in small groups, he does not shine in public gatherings and he has had to defend an unpopular economic program.
In contrast, Manuel Clouthier of the National Action Party is a fiery public speaker with a large stock of biting anecdotes. The other major candidate, Cuauhtemoc Cardenas of the National Democratic Front, is the son of a popular former President and accuses Mr.
Salinas and the PRI of betraying the principles of the Mexican Revolution.
''I think this will produce eight-column headlines in the front pages,'' said Francisco Duran, covering the debate for the Monterrey newspaper El Norte. ''There were ideas and concepts presented here tonight in a way we have not heard before in this or any other campaign.''
