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The ayuntamiento has limited legislative
polling committees and tabulating commit-
functions and is responsible for local law en-
tees, announce election results, and make legal
forcement and administration of funds, the
investigations of the electoral process and re-
latter derived from taxes fixed by the state
solve complaints. Through control of Super-
legislature. An ayudante municipal or com-
visory Committees, PRI is assured that the en-
isario serves as deputy of the municipal coun-
tire electoral machinery is in the hands of
cil in other villages of the municipality.
loyal party members.
Municipal judicial authority is vested in "con-
There are stringent legal provisions for reg-
ciliatory judges," either directly elected or ap-
istration of voters. A provision of the law
pointed by the municipal council as auxiliaries
authorizing the president of the poll to make
to state judicial authorities.
up supplementary lists, however, making pos-
The Electoral System. The electoral sys-
sible multiple registration, nullifies any effec-
tem, which governs the selection of govern-
tiveness of the formal registration. Other
mental officials at all levels, is the key to the
electoral malpractices working to the ad-
one-party system of government in Mexico.
vantage of PRI include the conduct of ballot-
There is no difference in theory and practice
ing in such a manner that it is not always
in the electoral system, since it was established
secret (e.g., advising illiterates in voting, not
by the government party in order to perpetu-
furnishing private booths, etc.) padding of
ate itself in office, which it does through con-
voting lists by members of the official party
trol of: (1) the registration of opposition
through such devices as registration of dead
parties; (2) federal, state, and local Commit-
persons; and inaccurate tabulation of votes.
tees of Electoral Supervision; (3) registration
Any protests of fraud or irregularities are first
of voters and filing for offices; (4) polling
reviewed by the Electoral Supervisory Com-
places; (5) the counting of votes, certification
mittee and in case of appeal by the appropri-
of elected representatives, and investigation of
ate Electoral College, all of which are con-
charges of fraud or irregularities; and (6) the
trolled by the PRI, so that decisions favoring
public funds and resources.
the opposition are only rare tokens of demo-
The law requires that any political organi-
cratic impartiality.
zation which desires to function as a party
The PRI's main source of strength is in its
must have at least 30,000 members, with party
control of the agencies and resources of the
organization and not less than 1,000 members
administration: public funds, law enforce-
in each of two-thirds of the 28 states; support
ment officers, the army, public employees, all
a regular publication and maintain offices;
are used by the official party to maintain itself
and be properly organized and registered with
in power. Thus opposition parties have to
the Ministry of Gobernación at least one year
battle not a party as such but essentially a
before the election in which it wishes to par-
one-party government, an impossible battle
ticipate. Since the Partido Revolucionario
to win under current conditions by any meas-
Institucional (PRI), official party, controls the
ures short of revolution. The current condi-
Ministry of Gobernación, with its authority to
tions most responsible for the system are the
register or refuse registration to parties, and
general lack of civic consciousness and the
its authority to cancel registration at any
acceptance of centralization and concentra-
time, opposition parties exist only with the
tion of authority.
express permission of the controlling party.
(2) Government in Practice.
The Federal Committee of Electoral Super-
National Government. Whereas in theory
vision is composed of six members, five of
the national government in Mexico is charac-
whom are PRI representatives. Territorial,
terized by separation of powers-executive,
District, and Local Committees are also com-
legislative, and judicial-in actual practice
pletely dominated by this party. These com-
the separation is more apparent than real.
mittees prepare lists of registered voters, di-
There is, in effect, personal government by the
vide districts into precincts, prepare and su-
President of the Republic. The chief source
pervise elections, appoint members of the
of the President's power has traditionally been
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"ocrText": "7\nThe ayuntamiento has limited legislative\npolling committees and tabulating commit-\nfunctions and is responsible for local law en-\ntees, announce election results, and make legal\nforcement and administration of funds, the\ninvestigations of the electoral process and re-\nlatter derived from taxes fixed by the state\nsolve complaints. Through control of Super-\nlegislature. An ayudante municipal or com-\nvisory Committees, PRI is assured that the en-\nisario serves as deputy of the municipal coun-\ntire electoral machinery is in the hands of\ncil in other villages of the municipality.\nloyal party members.\nMunicipal judicial authority is vested in \"con-\nThere are stringent legal provisions for reg-\nciliatory judges,\" either directly elected or ap-\nistration of voters. A provision of the law\npointed by the municipal council as auxiliaries\nauthorizing the president of the poll to make\nto state judicial authorities.\nup supplementary lists, however, making pos-\nThe Electoral System. The electoral sys-\nsible multiple registration, nullifies any effec-\ntem, which governs the selection of govern-\ntiveness of the formal registration. Other\nmental officials at all levels, is the key to the\nelectoral malpractices working to the ad-\none-party system of government in Mexico.\nvantage of PRI include the conduct of ballot-\nThere is no difference in theory and practice\ning in such a manner that it is not always\nin the electoral system, since it was established\nsecret (e.g., advising illiterates in voting, not\nby the government party in order to perpetu-\nfurnishing private booths, etc.) padding of\nate itself in office, which it does through con-\nvoting lists by members of the official party\ntrol of: (1) the registration of opposition\nthrough such devices as registration of dead\nparties; (2) federal, state, and local Commit-\npersons; and inaccurate tabulation of votes.\ntees of Electoral Supervision; (3) registration\nAny protests of fraud or irregularities are first\nof voters and filing for offices; (4) polling\nreviewed by the Electoral Supervisory Com-\nplaces; (5) the counting of votes, certification\nmittee and in case of appeal by the appropri-\nof elected representatives, and investigation of\nate Electoral College, all of which are con-\ncharges of fraud or irregularities; and (6) the\ntrolled by the PRI, so that decisions favoring\npublic funds and resources.\nthe opposition are only rare tokens of demo-\nThe law requires that any political organi-\ncratic impartiality.\nzation which desires to function as a party\nThe PRI's main source of strength is in its\nmust have at least 30,000 members, with party\ncontrol of the agencies and resources of the\norganization and not less than 1,000 members\nadministration: public funds, law enforce-\nin each of two-thirds of the 28 states; support\nment officers, the army, public employees, all\na regular publication and maintain offices;\nare used by the official party to maintain itself\nand be properly organized and registered with\nin power. Thus opposition parties have to\nthe Ministry of Gobernación at least one year\nbattle not a party as such but essentially a\nbefore the election in which it wishes to par-\none-party government, an impossible battle\nticipate. Since the Partido Revolucionario\nto win under current conditions by any meas-\nInstitucional (PRI), official party, controls the\nures short of revolution. The current condi-\nMinistry of Gobernación, with its authority to\ntions most responsible for the system are the\nregister or refuse registration to parties, and\ngeneral lack of civic consciousness and the\nits authority to cancel registration at any\nacceptance of centralization and concentra-\ntime, opposition parties exist only with the\ntion of authority.\nexpress permission of the controlling party.\n(2) Government in Practice.\nThe Federal Committee of Electoral Super-\nNational Government. Whereas in theory\nvision is composed of six members, five of\nthe national government in Mexico is charac-\nwhom are PRI representatives. Territorial,\nterized by separation of powers-executive,\nDistrict, and Local Committees are also com-\nlegislative, and judicial-in actual practice\npletely dominated by this party. These com-\nthe separation is more apparent than real.\nmittees prepare lists of registered voters, di-\nThere is, in effect, personal government by the\nvide districts into precincts, prepare and su-\nPresident of the Republic. The chief source\npervise elections, appoint members of the\nof the President's power has traditionally been"
}