(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Two-in-five adults in Mexico agree with their federal government’s proposal to reform the country’s energy sector, according to a poll by Ipsos-Bimsa. 40 per cent of respondents would vote in favour of an initiative that includes opening the oil and gas industry to foreign investors, while 34 per cent would vote against it.

In the early 1920s, Mexico was the world’s second-largest oil producer. In 1938, after negotiations with foreign energy companies failed, Mexican president Lázaro Cárdenas effectively nationalized the Latin American country’s oil industry. Cárdenas established Mexico’s state-owned oil company Pemex, which to this day is the sole supplier of commercial fuels in the country.

Mexican voters chose their new president in July 2006. Official results placed Felipe Calderón of the National Action Party (PAN) as the winner with 36.68 per cent of all cast ballots. Calderón—a former energy secretary—took over as Mexico’s head of state in December.

Calderón’s government has tabled a bill that would allow Pemex to join with foreign investors in order to drill for oil in the Gulf of Mexico. The administration believes Pemex needs to find outside help to undertake deep-water drilling because it lacks the technology and resources to do it on its own. Pemex registered a net loss of $1.48 billion U.S. in 2007, despite hiking world oil prices. Supporters of the government bill say domestic production is falling and demand is rising, which has forced Mexico to import oil.

Members of the opposition Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) oppose the bill. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) has so far backed the proposal, but wants to introduce changes.

On Jul. 28, the PRD asked people in Mexico City and nine states whether they approve or disapprove of the proposed bill. Calderón’s administration refused to recognize the unofficial referendum, calling it "a strategy to delay a decision on the bill in Congress." Exit polls suggested that more than 80 per cent of participating voters opposed the reforms.

Mexico City mayor and PRD member Marcelo Ebrard cast a ballot, and declared: "The result of this consultation will definitely have a major impact on the decisions that will be made over the next few weeks in Congress. (...) The opinion of the citizens cannot be ignored."

Polling Data

How would you vote on the president’s proposal to reform the energy sector?

Source: Ipsos-Bimsa
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 1,000 Mexican adults, conducted in July 2008. Margin of error is 3.5 per cent.

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