Senate President Reports on Twitter and Facebook

(Mexico City, 30 August) The president of the Senate and the head of the Partido Revolucionario Nacional (PRI), Manlio Fabio Beltrones Rivera of Villa Juárez, Sonora, will release today his report on his legislative work via Internet, and will interact with constituents via Twitter and Facebook. This is the first time a Mexican legislator has taken advantage of social media to render his required annual report to the people. The website is www.senadorbeltrones.com . The report will be rendered at 2:00 pm today, and thereafter, citizens may send messages to the Senator, using Twitter or Facebook, and receive live responses via the Internet. He will also answer questions posed by callers on his 800 number. The event will last approximately two hours.

The Senator says that this will be an exchange of ideas between an elected official and the voting public, which “will break with the old tradition when those is authority would speak and the people would listen. Now, on the other hand, here we will listen to the voice of those who wish to participate with their questions.” The Senator said that his report on legislation will be brief. There will be no clack of supporters to applaud or thousands of invited guests. The Twitter address is @mfbeltrones; in Facebook: facebook.com/beltrones. The toll-free number 01800 01 78626 (RUMBO) will receive text messages and videos (keyword ALTA). Any matters not answered in the session will be answered by the Senator later, in writing.