Markkula Center of Applied Ethics

Questions for the Mexican Presidential Debate

Representatives of Mexico's candidates for the 2006 presidential election debated at Santa Clara University, January 23, 2006. Questions for the evening were crafted by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics with input from faculty, staff, and members of the local Mexican community. Questioners were:

" Amador Bustos, President and CEO of Bustos Media LLP
" Celina Rodriguez, Anchor, Telemundo, NBC
" Kirk Hanson, Executive Director, Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University

Hanson: "This first set of three Questions is about the Mexican economy. And the first question will be asked by Mr. Bustos.

ECONOMY

1.) Bustos: This first Question is directed to Ambassador Lajous of the PRI. What will your party to do update Mexico's energy infrastructure? Will it also work to lower energy prices? (2 min.)
Senator Osuna? (1 min.)
Congressman Garcia Ochoa? (1 min.)

2.) Rodriguez: This question is for Senator Osuna. Would your party change NAFTA? How? How will your party address the dire situation of small farmers created by NAFTA and other trade agreements? (2 min.)
Congressman Garcia Ochoa? (1 min.)
Ambassador Lajous? (1 min.)

3.) Hanson: This question is for Congressman Garcia Ochoa. What will your party do to arm Mexico with a more flexible economy, one better able to adapt to the changing world economy? (2 min.)
Ambassador Lajous? (1 min.)
Senator Osuna? (1 min.)

Hanson: "This second set of questions revolves around Mexican Society."

SOCIETY

4.) Hanson: The first question is for Senator Osuna. What will your party do to address the concentration of wealth? (2 min.)
Congressman Garcia Ochoa? (1 min.)
Ambassador Lajous? (1 min.)

5.) Bustos: This question is for Congressman Garcia Ochoa. Which industries should the government privatize? Why or why not? (2 min.)
Senator Osuna? (1 min.)
Ambassador Lajous? (1 min.)

6.) Rodriguez: My question is for Ambassador Lajous. What will your party do to open up educational opportunities? And do agree that education is not a universal right in Mexico but has become a right limited to the upper classes? (2 min.)
Congressman Garcia Ochoa? (1 min.)
Senator Osuna? (1 min.)

Hanson: "This third set of questions is on Politics in Mexico. The first question is from Ms. Rodriguez.

POLITICS

7.) Rodriguez: This first question is to Senator Osuna. What will your party do to foster cooperation with the other parties in the congress? (2 min.)
Ambassador Lajous? (1 min.)
Congressman Garcia Ochoa? (1 min.)

8.) Bustos: My question is for Ambassador Lajous. What was positive about the Fox administration? What will your party do to continue this?
Senator Osuna? (1 min.)
Congressman Garcia Ochoa? (1 min.)

9.) Hanson: Now this question is for Congressman Garcia Ochoa. How does your party view the idea of church and state? Where can your party and the church agree? What can be done with that agreement? (2 min.)
Senator Osuna? (1 min.)
Ambassador Lajous? (1 min.)

Hanson: This fourth section is on International Relations. And the first question is from Ms. Rodriguez.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
10.) Rodriguez: My question is for Ambassador Lajous. What kind of relationship will your party have with Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil, Bolivia and now Chile? (2 min.)
Congressman Garcia Ochoa? (1 min.)
Senator Osuna? (1 min.)

11.) Bustos: This question is for Congressman Garcia Ochoa. What would your candidate say during his very first meeting with Bush? What will your party do to foster cooperation with the US? (2 min.)
Senator Osuna? (1 min.)
Ambassador Lajous? (1 min.)

12.) Hanson: My question is for Senator Osuna. In light of the fact that we can rank expatriates sending money to the home country as one of Mexico's biggest industries, what will your party do to improve the plight of Mexican workers, both documented and undocumented in the US? Also, would your party support President Bush's guest worker program? (2 min.)
Ambassador Lajous? (1 min.)
Congressman Garcia Ochoa? (1 min.)


Hanson: This final section of three questions is about corruption, graft and drug trafficking. The first question is from Mr. Bustos.

CORRUPTION AND DRUGS
13.) Bustos: This first question is for Ambassador Lajous. What will your party do to address Mexico's drug trafficking problem and the violence that it brings? What NEW measures will your party adopt? Which old ones will it maintain? (2 min.)
Senator Osuna? (1 min.)
Congressman Garcia Ochoa? (1 min.)

14.) Rodriguez: This question is for Senator Osuna. How will your party work to address the labor and human rights abuses being carried out by maquiladoras while working to attract more manufacturing jobs? What about the safety workers in general and female workers in particular? (2 min.)
Congressman Garcia Ochoa? (1 min.)
Ambassador Lajous? (1 min.)

15.) Hanson: The final question is for Congressman Garcia Ochoa. Is the competition created by privatization and the loosening of regulations a viable treatment for corruption in industry and the marketplace? (2 min.)
Ambassador Lajous? (1 min.)
Senator Osuna? (1 min.)

Hanson: "Alright! Now each speaker will have an opportunity to give a 2 minute closing remark. First will be Senator Osuna of the PAN. Senator…

Senator Osuna speaks for 2 min.

"Next will Congressman Garcia Ochoa of the PRD. Congressman…

Congressman Garcia Ochoa speaks for 2 min.

Finally, Ambassador Lajous will conclude for two minutes. Ambassador…

Amabassdor Lajous speaks for 2 min.


Hanson's closing remarks.