Who is Roberto Cantú Alanís and Why is He Relevant?
Roberto Cantú Alanís, the president of Coparmex Nuevo León, has emphasized the importance of access to information as a powerful tool against corruption. His stance is crucial in the ongoing process of local harmonization of Mexico’s Ley General de Transparencia y Acceso a la Información Pública (General Law of Transparency and Public Information Access).
Key Points from the Forum on Transparency
During the “Beyond the Minimum” forum organized by Coparmex Nuevo León, Cantú Alanís highlighted the need for effective accountability mechanisms, an active and vigilant citizenry, and firm sanctions. Mariana Campos Villaseñor from México Evalúa stressed the opportunity for Nuevo León to revitalize its transparency law, which is currently in a critical state.
Concerns Regarding Reserved Information
Daniela Mendoza Luna from Verificado Mx expressed concern about reserved information, as it leaves media outlets without the right to access files, impact studies, and government systems. She emphasized that transparency is essential for societal progress, not just for journalism.
Rendition of Accounts and Public Spending
Sergio Elías Gutiérrez Salazar, a law professor, questioned the accountability of public spending and the lack of sanctions, which leads to inadequate use of public resources. He pointed out that 20-30% of public spending yields no social benefits.
Building a More Robust State Law
Vidal Garza Cantú, Coparmex Nuevo León’s vicepresident, discussed the possibility of constructing a more robust state law rather than adhering strictly to federal regulations. He suggested that the law should not only allow for evaluating legislators’ public accounts but also measure the effectiveness of executed spending.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is Coparmex Nuevo León’s stance on combating corruption? Access to information is considered the best tool for fighting corruption. They advocate for effective accountability mechanisms, an active citizenry, and firm sanctions.
- Why is the transparency law in Nuevo León being revitalized? The current law is in a critical state, and there’s an opportunity to align it with international standards, as the previous law was evaluated as one of the best among 140 countries.
- What concerns exist regarding reserved information? Concerns include media’s lack of access to essential files, impact studies, and government systems, which hampers societal progress.
- What issues are raised about public spending? There’s a lack of accountability and sanctions, leading to inadequate use of public resources. 20-30% of public spending reportedly yields no social benefits.
- Why is a more robust state law proposed? To set an example and substantially improve government actions, rather than strictly adhering to federal regulations.
