Please find attached various documents that refer briefly to the PRD in Oaxaca state, including its standing in recent elections, and a 12 August 1997 article from Mexico & NAFTA Report referring to recent PRD nationwide party developments. Another 1997 report, "Political Parties on Campaign," is attached to include an overview of developments affecting the PRD in some states and nationwide, as well as electoral results from 1994 to 1996.

One of the attachments cites preliminary results of the 12 November 1995 local elections in Oaxaca, and staes that the PRD won 31 municipalities including Loma Bonita ("Election Results in Six States" Dec. 1995). A report from La Jornada states that in the 12 November 1995 municipal elections the PRD had significant victories "from Juchitán to Loma Bonita" (28 Nov. 1995). The document, in Spanish and thus not attached to this Response, attributes the PRD victories and approximately 30 per cent of the state vote to the establishment of "detachments" (destacamentos) in advance, the existence of a very broad cardenista social current (amplísima corriente cardenista social) and alliances with emerging local political forces (ibid.). The same article reports that, of the 570 municipalities of Oaxaca, 468 chose their authorities by a system of "practices and traditions" (usos y costumbres), while 162 chose them by means of political parties (ibid.). Of the latter, PRI won 104, PRD 33, PAN 11, PVEM one, PARMEO one, and 12 remained undefined or suspended (ibid.).

Another article in Spanish from La Jornada cites a press conference held by the national leadership of the PRD and states that the party won the elections in 36 municipalities of Oaxaca (14 Nov. 1995). A later report states that the PRD controlled 33 municipalities (Mexico & NAFTA Report 18 Jan. 1996, 5). Another attachment referring to the 12 November 1995 elections reports that a PRD "vote promoter" was shot to death and a polling official was later killed in a clash between PRI and PRD sympathizers (UPI 12 Nov. 1995).

References to San Juan Evangelista could not be found among the sources consulted by the DIRB within the time constraints of this Response.

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.

Embassy of Mexico, London. December 1995. "Election Results in Six States." [Internet] http://www.demon.co.uk/mexuk/dic95/election.html [Accessed 26 Nov. 1997]

La Jornada [Mexico City]. 28 November 1995. Luis Hernandez Navarro. "Las (e)lecciones oaxaqueñas." [Internet] http://serpiente.dgsca.unam.mx/jornada/ 1995/nov95/951128/OAXACA01-064.html [Accessed 26 Nov. 1997]

La Jornada [Mexico City]. 14 November 1995. David Aponte and Elena Gallegos. "Somos primera fuerza en Oaxaca; el país, hacia el tripartidismo: Muñoz Ledo." [Internet] http://serpiente.dgsca.unam.mx/jornada/1995/Nov95/951114/PML00-PG.html [Accessed 26 Nov. 1997]

Mexico & NAFTA Report [London]. 18 January 1996. "The Post Election Phase: Major Protests in Oaxaca, But Michoacan is Calm."

United Press International (UPI). 12 November 1995. BC Cycle. "Mexicans Vote in Local Elections." (NEXIS)

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA). 5 June 1997. BC Cycle. "Mexican Politician and Family Killed in Attack." (NEXIS)

Embassy of Mexico, London. December 1995. "Election Results in Six States." [Internet] http://www.demon.co.uk/mexuk/dic95/election.html [Accessed 26 Nov. 1997]

Lagniappe Letter [np]. 18 August 1995. "New Election Losses Chip Away at PRI's Political Grip." (NEXIS)

MCA.Virtual S.A. de C.BV. [Mexico City]. 1997. "Poloitical Parties on Campaign." [Internet] http://www.elector.com.mx/pp04.html [Accessed 26 Nov. 1997]

Mexico & NAFTA Report [London]. 12 August 1997. "The Flaws in the PRD's Triumph," pp. 2-3.

_____. 12 August 1997. "The Mexican Elections In Charts And Tables," pp. 4-5.

_____. 18 July 1996. "More Guerrillas? PRD Claims," p. 3.

_____. 18 July 1996. "The PRD Election: Three Candidates, 1.4m Voters," p. 5.

_____. 18 January 1996. "The Post Election Phase: Major Protests in Oaxaca, But Michoacan is Calm," p. 5.

Reuters Financial Service. 12 November 1995. BC Cycle. Henry Tricks. "Mexicans Vote, One Killed at Poll in Oaxaca." (NEXIS)

United Press International (UPI). 12 November 1995. BC Cycle. "Mexicans Vote in Local Elections." (NEXIS)