7-29-08, 4:33 pm

Mexico, Jul 29 (Prensa Latina) The overwhelming rejection of the Mexican Calderon administration's energy reform, which included the privatization of Mexico's oil industry, expressed by referendum on Sunday July 27, continued to hold the country's political attention this week.

According to Federal District (DF) Government Head Marcelo Ebrard, the will of the people freely expressed in the consultation discredits any attempt at privatization of the state-controlled oil company PEMEX.

Ebrard stated that once the counting of the votes on the referendum is concluded, the results will be delivered to Mexico's Congress and the several parties that comprise the national political spectrum.

He agreed with former presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who warned against the dangers of Congress ignoring the will of the people on the country's energy sovereignty.

Only 87 percent of voters in the capital voted NO on participation of private companies in PEMEX, while 84 percent disapproved the Calderon administration's initiative presented to Congress.

Voters from nine other Mexican states will also cast votes on the oil privatization referendum, boosted by the Broad Progressive Front made up of the PRD (Partido de la Revolucion Democratica), the Work Party and the Convergence Party.