Mayo 17, 2005
Mesa's Decision Today
President Carlos Mesa will use the entire amount of time allotted by law before making a decision on the Hydrocarbons Law that was handed to him by Congress. It is expected that today Mesa will either sign the law, make changes, decline to sign the law returning it to Congress and/or present an entirely new law.
No matter what decision he takes there will be at least one group who won't be happy.
Update: The President will speak on television at 1 P.M. EST informing the country what measure he will take on the Hydrocarbons Law and other relevant issues facing Bolivia.
Update 2: President Carlos Mesa decides not to sign (nor veto) the Hydrocarbons Law passed by Congress. It appears as if the Law will "automatically" pass due to the earlier passage by the Senate. All that is left is publication and the law will be official. Bolivia has its new Hydrocarbons Law.
Posted by eduardo at Mayo 17, 2005 09:47 AM
Comments
Mesa decides not to decide? That just seems weak to me. He wants full credit for things that go well, he wants no blame for things that don't, but doesn't realize that he just looks like a putz.
Posted by: miguel at Mayo 17, 2005 03:21 PM
I disagree. More than ever, Bolivia needs a centrist position to counterbalance the two sides that are moving towards the extreme left and extreme right. Mesa was clearly in an no-win situation and abstaining helps preserve this much needed political center.
Posted by: eduardo at Mayo 17, 2005 05:19 PM