No references to a group called Alternancia Democratica 2000 (Alternate or Alternating Democracy 2000) could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Alternancia democrática is a term widely found among Mexican sources in reference to the transfer of power to a different person or party through voting, particularly in reference to the Mexican presidency won by the opposition after approximately 70 years of the Institutional Revolutionary Party being in power (La Jornada 10 Apr. 2000; UNT Nov. 2000).

The Mexican Telephone Workers Union (Sindicato de Telefonistas de la República Mexicana, STRM) refers to "Alternativa Democracia 2000" as the name of the group of candidates running in opposition to the incumbent leadership of the union in its 2000 elections (STRM 28 May 2000). For more information on this, please refer to MEX38742 of 12 April 2002.

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.

La Jornada [Mexico City]. 10 April 2000. Juan Manuel Venegas. "Pide Fox a Cárdenas reflexionar sobre posible alianza el 2 de julio." http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2000/abr00/000410/pol4.html [Accessed 11 Apr. 2002]

Sindicato de Telefonistas de la República Mexicana (STRM), Mexico City. 28 May 2000. "Notificación de planillas registradas." http://www.strm.org.mx/politica/ planillas.htm [Accessed 11 Apr. 2002]

Unión Nacional de Trabajadores (UNT), Mexico City. November 2000. "Diálogo Nacional de los Trabajadores-Tema: I.-Sindicalismo y Alternancia Democrática." http://www.strm.org.mx/org/unt/ponenciascdj.htm [Accessed 11 Apr. 2002]