References: Amparo suit regulated by Constitutional articles 103 and 107

References: The president gives a State of the Union address each year on September 1, but does not take questions or listen to the positions of the opposition parties. Press conferences are more presentations than a chance for dialogue with the press. After the State of the Union address, cabinet ministers need to appear before congress and answer tough questions, but this process is usually quite formulaic and is not covered extensively by the press.

References: Constitutional articles 103, 105 and 107 (Amparo and Constitutional controversies)

During the Fox administration, there were also various important cases in which the judiciary directly intervened (examples include the attempt to privatize the provision of electricity through an executive order, the ability of the president to veto the budget, the investigation of the alleged violations of the human rights of journalist Lydia Cacho by the governor of Puebla, and the case of Oscar Espinosa)

References: [ LINK ] [ LINK ] [ LINK ] Regarding the Oscar Espinosa Villarreal case: [ LINK ] Budget veto case( [ LINK ] )

Peer Review Comments: More recently, Mexican legislators gave the green light to an investigation of former president Vicente Fox for allegedly illegally enriching himself during his six-year term in public office.

References: [ LINK ] [ LINK ] [ LINK ]

References: Constitutional Chapter 4 (Juicio Político), although the President can only be accused by the Senate (Constitutional articles 110 and 111)

References: Constitutional article 111

Peer Review Comments: Last fall, a federal court ruled on appeal that charges of genocide could be pressed ahead against former Mexican president Luis Echeverria in connection with the 1968 massacre of student demonstrators in Tlatelolco Square. At the time, Echeverria served as interior minister. In late November, he was placed under house arrest by a judge.

References: Ley Federal de Responsabilidades Administrativas de los Servidores Públicos (article 36)

References: See 26a

References: Ley Federal de Responsabilidades Administrativas de los Servidores Públicos (article 8. X) I

References: Asset disclosure forms are held and reviewed by the internal comptroller of each agency. There are no independent audits.

References: Ley Federal de Responsabilidades Administrativas de los Servidores Públicos (article 8.XII and article 9)

References: [ LINK ] Irma E. Sandoval, "Corrupción Estructural", Reforma Newspaper, Suplemento Enfoque, May 13, 2007

The recent case of Vicente Fox´s "Red Jeep" which was given to him when he was president, but was not formally registered under his name or reported in his assets declaration, is a recent indication of the problems in this area.

References: www.funcionpublica.gob.mx

References: There are no documented cases of prosecution or investigation based on review of asset disclosures.

References: Ley Federal de Responsabilidades Administrativas de los Servidores Públicos (Art. 40) only permits access if explicitly authorized by the public servant Ley Federal de Transparencia y Acceso a la Información Pública Gubernamental articles 3 fracc.XIV b), 4 fracc. I y II, 7, 9, 12

References: www.presidencia.gob.mx [ LINK ] John M. Ackerman, El Instituto Federal de Acceso a la Información Pública: diseño, desempeño y sociedad civil, Cuadernos para la Democratización No.10, Universidad Veracruzana-CIESAS, 2007

References: See 27b

References: [ LINK ] [ LINK ]" See also, Dictamen de Computo Final, Validez de la Elección Presidencial y Declaratoria de Presidente Electo (TEPJF, Sept. 5, 2006)