Veracruzanos disagree on how to disagree with high taxes on electricity

Yesterday, businesses in more than 30 nearby cities and townships closed their doors as part of the state-wide, 24 hour 'blackout,' organized by the Coordinating Business Committee of Veracruz (CCEV). It seems like all Veracruzanos, from small-business owners to the Governor and state representatives in the Union Senate, agree that the Federal Commission of Electricity (CFE) is unjust in assigning such high electric bills to a state on which the nation depends for its production of natural resources. However, those higher up in the political echelons aren't in agreement over whether or not the CCEV's blackout is too drastic of a measure. The municipal president of Canaco Orizaba has criticized the blackout and other similar actions:

He underlined that suspending the electric energy for 15 minutes, as the CCEV did in its meeting yesterday, can result in greater disillusion and drive more of the population to protest.

"The proposal is that they ought to write out their concerns and present it to the Union Congress where the nation-wide approval of these taxes can then be discussed and analyzed so as to ensure that they don't hurt those Mexicans who already have the least." Courtesy of Diario de Xalapa (Oct.17), Trans. from Sp.

Along the same lines, but I think in a more sensible approach, national PRI representative Elízabeth Morales García expressed disappointment that the people of Veracruz have been forced to resort to taking the problem into their own hands after feeling as though they could not rely on their political reps to get the job done. As opposed to Canaco Orizaba's municipal president, she appreciates the determination of the protesting Veracruzanos:

"It is a form of passive protest which we hope will compel the Federation to understand that its necessary to adjust taxes as to take full advantage of the environmental and social conditions that make Veracruz a great place for extracting natural resources treasured by the nation."

I think this is really the best way for politicians to go about addressing public dissent in circumstances like these. One must applaud the people for taking an active and responsible role in protecting their stake in the democracy, but also be sure to work with them so that in the future, more productive political channels through which their message can be heard loud and clear, can be made readily available to them.