The information that follows was provided by a staff member of the Human Rights Committee of Tabasco during a 30 July 1998 telephone interview.

The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) controls the state government, a majority in the state congress, and all 17 municipal governments of Tabasco. The PRD is the main opposition party in Tabasco, and has a leading role in opposition activities throughout the state. Besides problems deriving from civil resistance activities (please consult Response to Information Request MEX29735.E of 27 July 1998), members of the PRD currently face harassment through the press media, and the state government discriminates against communities or groups that are supportive of the PRD in the allocation of public resources.

As a general commentary on the situation of the opposition, throughout the State of Tabasco there are cases of harassment of community leaders who oppose the government. Such has been the case of street-sweepers' leader Aquiles Magaña, a former member of the ruling PRI party who was jailed a few years ago and is now avoiding arrest stemming from his leadership in pressing demands of the government. Another case of current concern in Tabasco is that of an indigenous teacher, Indalecio Pascual, who was accused of the death of a PRD member killed during a confrontation between PRI and PRD supporters. Although not a PRD member, it is widely believed that the teacher was deliberately wrongfully accused of the death because of his role as a community leader whose demands often conflicted with the authorities; he had to flee the state to avoid imprisonment, while his case is being advocated by various groups.

Additional information on conflicts between authorities and PRD supporters and other persons involved in protests against the state petroleum company in Tabasco can be found in Response to Information Request MEX27050.E of 17 June 1997 and news articles available through your Regional Documentation Centre.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Comite de Derechos Humanos de Tabasco, A.C.; Villahermosa, Tabasco. 30 July 1998. Telephone interview with staff member.

La Jornada [Mexico City]. 1997-98.

Latin American Regional Reports: Mexico & NAFTA Report [London].

Mexico NewsPak [Austin, Tex.]. 1997-98.

Electronic sources: IRB Databases, Global NewsBank, NEXIS, Internet, Refworld, WNC.