At 2:55 a.m. this Saturday the controversy was approved General Law on Humanities, Sciences, Technologies and Innovation in the Senate.
With 48 votes in favor, 12 against and six abstentions, the law was created which has been considered by the scientific community of the country as “centralist, exclusive and retrograde”, because it concentrates power in a National Council Humanities, Sciences, Technologies and Innovationwhich will replace Conacyt, will prioritize scholarships for researchers from public universities and will threaten the freedom of research.
The science law was one of the 18 opinions that were approved fast track and no debate overnight in the alternate headquarters of Xicoténcatl, where they were only present Senators from Morena and allies.
«Final score: Conacyt 2- scientists: 0. We still have the courts. We will not forget this grievance. But that’s the least of it, Mexico lost today,” wrote Alma Maldonado, Cinvestav researcheron his Twitter account.
For her part, Brenda Valderramaresearcher of Institute of Biotechnology of the UNAM, described the legislative process as the «most opaque and irregular in the modern history of our country«. “The courts follow,” he added.
For his part, he National Council for Science and Technology (Conacyt) celebrated the approval of the Science Law: “Congratulations for Mexico, it consolidates the humanistic nature of science and technology policies, with great commitment @senadomexicano approves the minutes and proclaims the new Law General in Matters of Humanities, Sciences, Technologies and Innovation». While Maria Elena Alvarez-Buylla He stated on his Twitter account: “We have #NuevaLeyHCTI!”
The controversial Science Law should be discussed with the scientific community in seven open parliaments, before being approved. However, only two parliaments were heldwas approved in fast-track in the Chamber of Deputies last Wednesday, to finally be approved in the Senate this morning.