Status of Marcelo Montiel Montiel, the municipal president of Coatzacoalcos (1999-December 2001) [MEX37998.E]

Marcelo Montiel Montiel, "chief clerk" (oficial mayor) of the Legislature of the State of Veracruz for approximately 20 months until his resignation in June 2000 (La Opinión 30 June 2000), represented the Institutional Revolutionary Party (Partido Revolucionario Institucional, PRI) in a 3 September 2000 election for the post of "municipal president" (presidente municipal) of Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz (ibid.; ibid. 15 July 2000; Partido Revolucionario Institucional 2 July 2000).

The election was won by Montiel (La Opinión 4 Sept. 2000), who was described by the newspaper La Opinión as having a "direct line" (línea directa) to the Veracruz state governor, Miguel Alemán Velazco (4 July 2000). However, both PRI and Montiel were subsequently accused by Gloria Rasgado Corsi, candidate for the Party of the Democratic Revolution (Partido de la Revolución Democrática, PRD), of having bought votes, thereby depriving her of an election victory (ibid. 7 Sept. 2000). No additional information on these allegations could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Montiel began his four-year term in office as municipal vice-president on 31 Dec. 2000 (ibid. 26 Dec. 2000; ibid. 2 Jan. 2001). In July 2001, he announced that legal action would be launched against Proyecto Designa, a company said to have secretly buried toxic waste in the Coatzacoalcos neighbourhood of Santa Rosa (La Jornada 13 July 2001). Montiel subsequently demanded that Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), the oil company responsible for the production of the toxic waste, pay to monitor the health of individuals living in the neighbourhood and, if necessary, to relocate them to a non-contaminated site (El Sol de Zacatecas 14 Aug. 2001). PEMEX had earlier acknowledged its involvement in the affair (ibid.). No additional information on this incident could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

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.

References


La Jornada [Mexico City]. 13 July 2001. Jesus Lastra Rios. "Demandan a empresa que enterró tóxicos en Coatzacoalcos." http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2001/jul01/010713/036n2est.html [Accessed 11 Dec. 2001]

La Opinion [Minatitlán]. 2 January 2001. Héctor Zaragoza López. "Inicia el gobierno municipal, Marcelo Montiel comprometido con los porteños." http://www.moomsa.com.mx/opinion/index.html [Accessed 11 Dec. 2001]

_____. 26 December 2000. Héctor Zaragoza López. "Rotter entregará el ayntamiento de Coatzacoalcos este domingo." http://www.moomsa.com.mx/opinion/index.html [Accessed 11 Dec. 2001]

_____. 7 September 2000. Héctor Zaragoza López and Sergio Escalante Vera. "Gloria Rasgado se muestra agresiva con ciudadanos." http://www.moomsa.com.mx/opinion/index.html [Accessed 11 Dec. 2001]

_____. 4 September 2000. Héctor Zaragoza López. "Terminó la pesadilla: el PRI alcanza ventaja de once mil votos en puerto." http://www.moomsa.com.mx/opinion/index.html [Accessed 11 Dec. 2001]

_____. 15 July 2000. Héctor Zaragoza López and Sergio Escalante Vera. "'Son sólo matraqueros': ratifica Miguel Angel Enríquez su renuncia." http://www.moomsa.com.mx/opinion/index.html [Accessed 11 Dec. 2001]

_____. 4 July 2000. Héctor Zaragoza López. "Edel Alvarez, en busca de la presidencia." http://www.moomsa.com.mx/opinion/index.html [Accessed 11 Dec. 2001]

_____. 30 June 2000. "Con amplio reconocimiento despidieron." http://www.moomsa.com.mx/opinion/index.html [Accessed 11 Dec. 2001]

Partido Revolucionario Institucional. 2 July 2000. "Candidatos a presidentes municipales." http://www.pri.org.mx/05.informacion/comunicados/com2000/julio2/pm.htm [Accessed 11 Dec. 2001]

El Sol de Zacatecas [Zacatecas]. 14 August 2001. "Confirman Presencia de Tóxicos en Colonia de Coatzacoalcos." http://www.elsoldezacatecas.com.mx/m140801/Estados.htm [Accessed 11 Dec. 2001]

Additional Sources Consulted


IRB databases.

LEXIS-NEXIS.

Internet sites including:

La Crónica de Hoy [Mexico City]. 2001.

Diario de México [Mexico City]. 2000-2001.

Gobierno del Estado de Veracruz.

La Jornada [Mexico City]. 1996-2001.

La Opinión [Minatitlan]. 1999-2001.

Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI).

World News Connection (WNC).