|
|
|
|
|
Oil Expropriation Day |
|
Mexico recognizes the day that the country's oil fields were nationalized on March 18, 1938 as Oil Expropriation Day (Día de la Expropiación Petrolera)! Mexican president, General Lázaro Cárdenas proclaimed the expropriation of all oil and mineral rights on this date in history as oil was one (1) of Mexico's top exports. This date is now a national observance and is typically celebrated by the oil and gas industry with events to honor the national ownership and sovereignty of the country's oil reserves. Today, the petroleum industry in Mexico is the world's sixth (12th) largest producer of oil and the tenth (14th) largest in terms of net exporting.
The history of the oil industry in Mexico began in 1869 when the very first exploratory wells were drilled. However, oil was not discovered until the turn of the twentieth century and by 1901, crude oil was being commercially produced in Mexico. While Mexico struggled to locate oil, systematic explorations by foreign companies (primarily the U.S.) started exceeding the uncoordinated efforts of the Mexican speculative prospectors. In 1910, Mexico became an oil exporting nation.
Over the next few decades, foreign entities, primarily the United Kingdom, Netherlands and the United States were the nations drilling the vast majority all of Mexico's oil reserves. In 1930, Mexico was second (2nd) behind the United States in crude oil production and led the world in petroleum exports. By 1935, all companies in Mexico's oil industry were foreign companies. However, Mexican oil workers were unable to form labor unions and were receiving substandard wages and benefits compared to their international counterparts in the Mexican oil industry. Unrest began to increase as the Mexican populace became more and more aware that their country was not benefiting from their own petroleum industry and foreign oil companies were getting rich and earning unprecedented profits. Then current president, General Lázaro Cárdenas, met with representatives of the international companies performing business in Mexico to try and resolve these growing issues.
Unfortunately, the meetings were unsuccessful between President Cárdenas and the foreign company's management. Therefore, President Cárdenas officially expropriated all oil assets from all international companies operating in Mexico on March 18th, 1938. Using Article 17 of the Constitution of 1917, President Cárdenas declared Mexico's oil belonged to the country and the populace of Mexico. This was announced to the citizens of the country over the national radio, two (2) hours before he even informed his cabinet. A newly formed Mexican oil company, PEMEX was created as nation's sole petroleum corporation.
While this bold and decisive decision was ultimately for the benefit and welfare of the Mexican citizens and was celebrated across the country by the population and oil industry workers, as you can imagine, it did not go over well on the international front. Initial outrage soon followed by retaliation with an international boycotts against Mexican petroleum and additional public relation's campaigns were implemented to urge international citizens to stop buying Mexican products and goods. Mexico's solution to the embargo of their petroleum was to trade oil for money and machinery from European "fascist" governments. This policy enabled Mexico and PEMEX to weather the storm and ultimately become the powerhouse it is today in world petroleum exporting.
So if you are traveling to Cozumel and Mexico, you will only find one (1) gas station, PEMEX. These stations are full service and you have three (3) choices of gas - Magna (regular unleaded), Premium (high octane unleaded) and diesel. Payment is usually in cash (although some stations do accept credit cards), the gas is measured in liters vs. gallons (1 gallon is equal to 3.785 liters) and you should tip your gas station attendant only if they perform some extra services like washing the windows or checking your tire pressure.. When you fill up your car, you are supporting a major part of Mexican history...
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Copyright 2000 - 2024 Sherri Davis, All Rights Reserved. Contributors retain the copyright to their work. Please do not take art or written content without permission. Other graphics and reference materials are used and attributed as per the Fair Use Provision of The Copyright Act and individual terms of use.
|
|