Mexico’s Lopez Obrador Says Protests Will Shut Nation

Mexico’s Lopez Obrador Says Protests Will Shut Nation

By Andres R. Martinez

Feb. 24 (Bloomberg) — Former Mexican presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador asked supporters to shut airports, oil facilities and highways next month when President Felipe Calderon introduces a plan to open the state oil industry to investment.

The country's oil belongs to the people, even the most humble,'' Lopez Obrador told protesters outside state-owned Petroleos Mexicanos headquarters in Mexico City.We must defend this historic conquest,’’ he said, as thousands waved Mexico’s red, white and green flag as part of a Flag Day protest. Mexico will celebrate the 70th anniversary of the expropriation of U.K. and U.S. oil assets on March 18.

Calderon will submit a proposal to Congress next month that may open the industry to private and foreign investment, Energy Minister Georgina Kessel said Feb. 14. Lopez Obrador has said the plan will lead to privatization and should be considered theft.

Pemex, as the oil monopoly is known, needs partners to explore in waters deeper than 5,000 meters to help blunt a four- year decline at its biggest field and raise reserves, supporters of private investment say. Its taxes fund about 40 percent of the government’s budget.

The theft of our oil will leave a latent risk of a violent confrontation, which could lead us to greater suffering, political and social instability,'' Lopez Obrador said, adding that he doesn't support violent action.That is why it is better to act now, to not allow for our country to be destabilized,’’ he said.

Large Protests

Lopez Obrador has said the protests to block the president’s oil plan will be larger than those he staged after losing to Calderon in the 2006 election, when he shut down Mexico City’s main square, the Zocalo, for months.

The government has purposefully invested less than what Pemex needs and let facilities decay so it can open the industry to private investment, Lopez Obrador says.

I am here for my children,'' said Guadalupe Perez, a 53- year-old third-grade teacher from the state of Mexico.Pemex provides me with work and it will provide my children with work.’’

To contact the reporter on this story: Andres R. Martinez in Mexico City at amartinez28 Uxp bloomberg.net .

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