Coming down to earth

In Gravity Alfonso Cuarón brought Sandra Bullock back from space, and now he’s trying to similarly
save Mexico from what he considers a deeply flawed reform process.

In an open letter to Mexican President Enrique Peña Nietothe president, Academy AwardOscar-
winning director of Gravity, Alfonso Cuarón, recently has summed up the uncertainties of Mexicans
citizens in ten questions about the government’s proposed reform of the energy sector.

The missive, which has been translated to English, German, French, Italian and Portuguese, calls
attention to concerns about the lack of information surrounding the reform, which if carried out will
significantly alter __________. Cuaron’s questions tackle trough issues like the timing of the reform, Formatted: Highlight
environmental affectsations, contracts, power information asymmetries between the general public
and the private sector, regulatory frameworks, fiscal regimes, and corruption.
in the sector. (You can find the complete letter here)

Cuarón He blames propaganda and the shallow debate in the congress legislatureand the
propaganda environment that surrounded the initiative and voices for the widespread lackthe
general feeling of of disinformation in the streets:

“If I am not sufficiently informed, it is because the government you lead has not shared with me –
with all of us Mexicans—- crucial elements that are necessary for us to understand ‘“the extentd and
significance of these reforms”.’ ”

[TRANSITION HERE ABOUT WHETHER YOU THINK CUARON IS RIGHT? OR “THESE ARE LEGITIMATE Formatted: Highlight
CONCERNS, BUT THERE ARE OTHERS:”] So far, the rReform bill does not specify about the timing for Formatted: Highlight
many of the reformsproposed changes; nor does it , neither the about suggest a the regulatory
framework that should straightento strengthen the rule of law in the countrysector. Instead, the
document changes three key articles in the constitution (25, 26 and 27) to allow private investment
along the energy value chain. In the same spirit, it declares gives both Pemex and the Federal
Electricity Commission, autonomy; but it does not give reveal the specifics of the regulatory
framework regime these companies entities should obey from now on.

In his last question, the director brings to memoryup two disastrous reform experiences led by the
PRI (the president’s party): the bankruptcy of 1984 and the “arbitrary and opaque” reforms of the
Salinas administration in the 1980’s and 1990’s. Both reforms proved to be useful for private
interests but failed to make a real impacthelp for everyday Mexicans, generating social distress and
division.

With this Cuarón shows how high the stakes are: this is a major play for a country that has depended
historically on oil revenues and cannot change overnight some historical track ofeliminate the rife
corruption in this the sector. His ten questions end up being a pretty articulate critique to of what
Commented [LB1]: What is this in reference to? Why is it a bad
seems to be an emulation of the Norwegian iInstitutional dDesign in Latin America. , refraining on idea for LatAm-- this seems like it could be expanded to a paragraph
the limitations of disseminating roles within the sector without guaranteeing the human capital that of original analysis.

will take responsibility for it. Commented [LB2]: Don't quite understand this sentence--
rewrite?
Alonso Hidalgo is the information and communications assistant in the Latin American regional
communications associate atoffice of the Revenue Watch Institute – Natural Resource Charter.