[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 35 (Thursday, March 24, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 24, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
             CALLING FOR FREE ELECTIONS IN AUGUST IN MEXICO

  (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, the citizens of Mexico throughout this 
century have been denied this most fundamental right of democracy, fair 
and open elections. Recent reports outlining vote-buying and election 
irregularities in the race for Governor of the Mexican State of Morelos 
surfaced 2 days ago. Votes were bought for $150 to $250 apiece. Some 
polling places were not opened until 4 p.m., in the afternoon, and 
voter credentials had been duplicated and used fraudulently.
  Yesterday we had another brutal reminder that the hand-picked 
successor of President Carlos Salinas and his PRI Party, Luis Donaldo 
Colosio, had been assassinated. We mourn his death, as well as the 
deaths of the dozens of poor peasants in Chiapas who were killed 
earlier this year by the Government.
  When NAFTA passed, our Nation forfeited our best chance to export to 
Mexico the best hopes of democracy. We, instead, rewarded the worst 
characteristics of tyranny. We watch now as bystanders. American cannot 
remove itself from the fight for freedom so close to our border. 
Mexico's hopes for democratic freedom and our own workers' hopes for 
economic promise depend on free elections in Mexico.
  On behalf of all those ordinary people in Mexico who were shot, as 
well as Mr. Colosio, America must stand up today and say, ``We want 
free elections in Mexico this coming August.''

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