[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 35 (Thursday, March 24, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
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]

 
           THE APPARENT ASSASSINATION OF LUIS DONALDO COLOSIO

  Mr. CHAFEE. Mr. President, the world was shaken and shocked in the 
past 24 hours to hear first of the shooting, and then of the death, of 
Luis Donaldo Colosio, the Mexican Presidential candidate for the 
Institutional Revolutionary Party. Although little is known of the 
incident at this point, it appears that Mr. Colosio was assassinated.
  I met Mr. Colosio, then Secretary of Social Development, in February 
of 1993, during a brief trip I made to Mexico, prior to Senate 
consideration of the North American Free-Trade Agreement [NAFTA].
  I found Mr. Colosio to be a most impressive individual: personable, 
dynamic, and clearly committed to making those changes and advances he 
believed would improve the situation of Mexico and its citizens.
  Mexico is a country struggling to improve both the short- and long-
term well-being of its populace, and create the foundation for a 
prosperous and stable future. In the past few years, the people of 
Mexico have taken some remarkable steps: The unprecedented opening of 
the Mexican economy and the Nation's successful bid to join the GATT; 
the very public, lengthy fight to win United States approval of the 
NAFTA and thereby create a partnership designed to lead to developed 
nation status. Mexico has also faced some extraordinary challenges: the 
recent armed peasant uprising in Chiapas and the reverberations both 
political and economic--that followed; and now this--the assassination 
of the nation's leading political candidate.
  The Mexican people have been through a great deal, and shown great 
national courage and fortitude. But the assassination of Mr. Colosio 
comes as a terrible blow to Mexican citizens, regardless of party 
affiliation. Indeed, in the wake of Mr. Colosio's death, the country 
understandably appears to be in shock. President Salinas has urged 
calm; and so far, that calm seems to be holding.
  I wish to convey to the Mexican people, and the Colosio family, my 
condolences for the loss they have suffered. We in this country 
understand this pain all too well. At a time like this, the future may 
seem uncertain, but I have faith that the Mexicans will emerge from 
this terrible tragedy, and emerge even stronger than they are now.

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