Mexican lawmakers approve postal absentee voting News
Mexican lawmakers approve postal absentee voting

[JURIST] Mexican lawmakers Tuesday approved a law permitting Mexicans living abroad to vote by mail in next July's presidential election. The lower house of Congress passed the measure 455 to 6, with 6 abstentions. The measure has already been passed by the Mexican Senate [official website] and will be presented to President Vincente Fox [official profile] for signing, which he has promised. Approximately 11 million Mexicans, or 14% of the country's population, live abroad with most of that number residing in the United States, but up to now they have been effectively unable to participate in the Mexican political process. Despite the law's popularity, some have expressed fears that the country's notoriously corrupt and slow postal service will be charged with mailing out the ballots. AP has more. So-called "postal voting" has run into problems in other Western democracies, most recently including the United Kingdom [JURIST report], where the mails are considered relatively secure.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Laws of Burgos put into effect

The Spanish Crown put the Laws of Burgos into effect on December 27, 1512. These laws governed the relationship of Spanish settlers with the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean. The laws established the encomienda system of labor, promoted conversion to Catholicism, and safeguarded the indigenous peoples from physical abuse.  However, historians argue that the laws were ineffective at protecting the rights of the indigenous population. Learn more from the Library of Congress.

Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public bar smashing

On December 27, 1900, militant Prohibitionist Carrie Nation carried out her first public smashing of a bar, at the Carey Hotel in Wichita, Kansas. Nation argued that destroying bars was an acceptable means of battling the liquor trade since the Kansas Constitution prohibited alcohol. Learn more about Carrie Nation.

World Bank created

On December 27, 1944, the World Bank was created during the United Nations Monetary and Financial Conference in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire, USA. Learn more about the history of the World Bank.