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PRESIDENT FELIPE CALDERON, SENATE CLASH OVER ENERGY POLICY.

Article Excerpt
President Felipe Calderon's administration and the Mexican Senate clashed again regarding several aspects of the country's oil policy, including the president's nominee to take over the state-run oil company PEMEX. Additionally, the Senate is angry that Calderon has not fully implemented the energy reforms approved by the federal legislature in October 2008, including a directive that PEMEX lower its production costs. Some legislators are also suspicious about Calderon's intentions, saying that the president might be scheming to implement a back-door privatization for PEMEX.

Legislators unhappy with new PEMEX director

Calderon's decision to appoint Juan Jose Suarez Coppel to replace Jesus Reyes Heroles as PEMEX director unleashed a storm of controversy, with even members of the president's governing Partido Accion Nacional (PAN) questioning the move. Suarez Coppel's appointment was part of a Cabinet reshuffle announced in early September (see SourceMex, 2009-09-09). Members of all parties in the Senate questioned whether Coppel, who had been the PEMEX finance director, was the right choice to lead the company, given its shaky financial situation.

Some detractors took their criticisms a step further, accusing Suarez Coppel of corruption during his tenure as PEMEX finance director. The critics pointed out that the nominee used his position to benefit the interests of several powerful financial figures, including former finance secretary Francisco Gil Diaz, who served under...

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