Alfonso Cuarón Defies Enrique Peña Nieto With 10 Questions On Energy Reform

Alfonoso Cuarón has attacked Enrique Peña Nieto's energy reforms and voiced his fears for the future of the country, while still thanking him for his congratulations on "Gravity." Cuarón published ten questions directed at the Mexican leader on diezpreguntas.com, as an attempt to "dissapate some doubts" over the energy reforms ennacted by the President in 2013, the most comprehensive in the last seventy years. The "Gravity" director asked some very direct questions that have been troubling much of the public.

Alfonoso Cuarón has asked Enrique Peña Nieto when prices will go down on gas, gasoline, electricity and what steps will be taken to protect the environment and how corruption will be prevented. The President's energy reforms put an end to a seven decade monopoly on Mexico's oil and gas industry, and allows a wider open participation of private foreign companies in the refinement of crude oil. However, there have not been substantial changes to the legislation to detail how exactly the reforms will be implemented.

Alfonoso Cuarón has explained that "My lack of information cannot be attributed to "opposition groups" who have "generated misinformation." The reason is simpler: the legislative and democratic process of these reforms was poor and lacked an in-depth discussion, while the difusion of its content was given in the context of a propaganda campaign that evaded much of the public debate"I am not informed because the government which you lead has not shared with me - with us Mexicans - key elements that are indespensable to understand the reach and the nature of these reforms."

1. When will the prices be lowered for gas, gasoline and electric energy? What other tangible benefits will the Reform have? What is the timeline for these benefits?

2. What will e the specific effects on the environment with this huge increase in oil exploits? What measures will be taken to protect it and who will take responsibility in the case of spills or disasters?

3. Hydrocarbons are non-renewable and their effect on the environment is huge. Are there any plans to develop technologies and infrastructures for atlernative energy in our country?

4. The proposed energy reform will deliver multimillion dollar countries. In a country in which the law is so flimsy (and sometimes non-existent), how will you avoid large-scale corruption?

5. Transnational oil companies have as much power as governments. What measures will be taken to avoid the democratic process in our country becoming entrapped by illicit financing and other pressures from large corporations?

6. What regulatory tools will the Mexican government use to avoid the predatory practices that can be used by private companies who form part of this sector?

7. How will you ensure that the reforms don't increase the productivity of Pemex without confronting the problems of corruption within the company?

8. If Pemex contributed more than half the federal budget for 70 years (with which the national infrastructure was built, education was increased and free healthcare was provided), now that the profits from oil will not go directly from Pemex to the government, how will this budget be compensated for?

9. How will you ensure that utilities won't be funnelled to the expansion of beaurocracy without reaching the original owners of those resources, namely the Mexican people?

10. Two disasterous experiences remain in Mexican memory: the crisis of 1982 (following the ineptitude and corruption that charecterized the managment of the oil industry in the 70s) and the opaque and directional reforms implemented in the time of Salinas de Gortari, that were good for private companies but dubious for consumers. How will you guarantee that these experiences which have delved into the depths of society will not be repeated? You and your party carry the historical responsibility of these reforms. Do you really believe that Mexico has the tools to implement these reforms with effectiveness, social conscience and transparency?