I got to give it to some members of the Mexican Congress who are sitting in the lower house of their congress to protest President Felipe Calderon’s reform proposal concerning Pemex, the nation’s state oil company. The proposal would allow Pemex to partner with private companies for exploration and refining. This is needed according to the president to help boost sagging oil production. The opposition maintains that this is just an attempt to privatize the oil industry.

The demand of those who have shut down legislative action in Mexico, is not that the bill not be heard, but rather that an extensive debate on the issue happen. The protesting members of congress rejected an offer by President Calderon to have a 50 day debate on the issue, saying that is not enough time to discuss a change in the country’s 70 year oil policy. The opposition, led by Manuel Lopez Obrador (remember him), wants a national debate of at least 4 months.

Via / Yahoo! and BBC