Morena exhibits the “boldness of PAN and PRD” for the lobbyist’s case

Enrique Mendez

Newspaper La Jornada
Wednesday, April 13, 2022, p. 4

brunette questioned the gall of PAN and PRD that, at the meeting of the commissions on Energy and Constitutional Points of the Chamber of Deputies, received instructions of lobbyist Paolo Salerno, whom the board of directors identified as coordinator of the Energy Committee of the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Mexico, associated with the Italian energy company Enel Group.

In turn, the board of directors asked the benches refrain from introducing people to the room, especially when they have a direct interest in the matter under discussionin reference to the fact that Salerno joined the plenary session on Monday and even sat in a seat, next to deputy Edna Díaz (PRD), who is part of the political group of former Michoacán governor Silvano Aureoles Conejo.

Even, in an official letter, the president of the chamber, Sergio Gutiérrez Luna (Morena), required the lobbyists duly registered in the chamber’s register to conduct yourself according to the law or their permits will be canceled and they will be prevented from entering the chamber.

The scandalous episode occurred while both commissions were discussing the constitutional reform opinion on electrical matters and Salerno was removed from the plenary, at the request of Leonel Godoy Rangel, who also demanded that he occupy a seat.

After the fact, this Tuesday the Morena coordinator, Ignacio Mier, denounced that the PRD legislator was instructed by Salerno to vote against the electrical reform.

In an interview, the vice president of the board of directors, Santiago Creel Miranda, said that in the PAN they do not know Salerno, and in Morena it transpired that the PRD introduced him to the session hall, where the commissions met, as adviser. The chamber’s board of directors does not have him registered in the official registry of lobbyists.

In recent months, Paolo Salerno has been a persistent actor against the initiative of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and, as a representative of the interests of the Enel Group company, participated in the forums convened by the chamber to review the project.

Yesterday, the board of directors held a quick work meeting to formalize the call for Sunday’s session, while the PAN, PRI and PRD insisted that, even if the debate date is delayed, their decision is to vote against it. The PRI members were summoned to stay overnight in their offices from Friday afternoon to ensure their attendance.