Mexico's Congress passes anti-corruption law
The law, passed late on Tuesday night, strengthens oversight of public officials and designates a special prosecutor to tackle corruption. It comes after several previous efforts to pass anti-graft measures failed. (Photo: Archive / EL UNIVERSAL )
Mexico's Congress has approved an anti-corruption law
that could help relieve pressure on President Enrique Peña Nieto's
scandal-plagued government.
The law, passed late on
Tuesday night, strengthens oversight of public officials and designates a
special prosecutor to tackle corruption. It comes after several previous
efforts to pass anti-graft measures failed.
The reform will give new powers to
Mexico's existing Federal Audit Office and the Public Administration Ministry
(SFP), as well as creating a special court to oversee all corruption-related
issues.
Details of the changes will be
hashed out in secondary laws that must be passed in the next year.
Opposition parties joined with Peña
Nieto's party to approve the law, but some anti-corruption organizations have
expressed concern that the project will just give a face lift to existing
institutions and will not address the low rate of prosecutions for corruption
in Mexico.
Peña Nieto's focus on reforming
Mexico's struggling economy has been overshadowed by scandals underscoring
rampant impunity and passage of the law could ease pressure on his party ahead
of mid-term elections in June.
Earlier this month, the head of
Mexico's federal water authority resigned after he and his family used one of
the agency's helicopters for personal travel.
Last year, it was revealed that Peña
Nieto, his wife and his finance minister had all bought or were using houses
belonging to a government contractor involved in a consortium that won a
high-speed train contract.
Fernando Belaunzarán, a congressman
with the left-leaning Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD), said the new
law would put pressure on state governors to ensure spending is honest.