Summary of the most important news in Mexico for August 17th, 2011

++ President Felipe Calderón signed a decree to eliminate the so-called “informal” veto power that gave the Executive branch the right to indefinitely postpone publication in the Official Gazette of an approved legislation, in effect stalling it indefinitely. Under the new rules, the Executive branch has 10 days to make observations, and there is a 30-day period set to enact the bills or for the president to exercise the right to an outright veto.

++ Interior Secretary Francisco Blake has now called on representatives of civil society to express their concerns about the National Security law bill. 

The heads of “End to Kidnapping”, and “Common Cause”, Isabel Miranda de Wallace and María Elena Morera, respectively, called for approval of the bill, with some changes. Deputy Interior Secretary Rubén Fernández said a political agreement had been reached at the Chamber of Deputies to discuss the National Security Law with senators and social activists groups, so as to reach agreement as soon as possible.

++ The federal government and the nation’s 32 state governments agreed to work together to fight the high impact crimes that are of concern to society.

++ Mexico City Attorney General Miguel Ángel Mancera said that in his affidavit to Federal District authorities, Óscar Osvaldo García, the head of the Hand With Eyes criminal group, confessed he had taken part in the murders of five members of a family in the Ajusco mountain area near Mexico City.

++ Authorities arrested seven police agents with the General Escobedo, Nuevo León, police department… They are accused of links to organized crime.