REGION A – NORTH AMERICA

NEW WORLD ORDER

(Mexico)

San Lazaro Building

(Mexico City)

Original Image

The Official Story

CONGRESS OF THE UNION

The Congress of the Union, formally known as the General Congress of the United Mexican States, is the legislature of the federal government of Mexico consisting of two chambers: the Senate of the Republic and the Chamber of Deputies. Its 628 members (128 senators and 500 deputies) meet in Mexico City.

Powers

The powers allocated in the Congress are defined in article 73 of the Constitution. Among its powers, the Congress can admit new States into the Union, alter the allocation of powers granted to the federal government, lay and collect taxes, declare war (upon request of the Government), provide for and maintain the Union’s armed forces, and coordinate economic activities.

Article 74, 75 and 76 of the Constitution state that each Chamber can address specific matters. In fact, some powers are reserved either to the Chamber of Deputies or to the Chamber of Senators, making the Congress of the union an imperfect bicameralism. For example, the former can approve the federal budget submitted by the Government, while the latter has the power to analyze the foreign policy of the Government, approve or dismiss the Presidential nominations of the Attorney General, Supreme Court Justices, diplomatic agents, general consuls, and senior civil and military officials.

Legislative Palace of San Lázaro

The Legislative Palace of San Lázaro is the main seat of the legislative power of the Mexican government, being the permanent meeting place of the Chamber of Deputies (equivalent to the House of Representatives or House of Commons), as well as the seat of the whole Congress of the Union, when the Chamber of Deputies (the lower house) convenes in conjunction with the Senate of the Republic (the upper house; UK House of Lords equivalent). Built in the late 20th century after a 1977 political reform, the complex is located in Mexico City about a mile east of the Zócalo central square, in the Venustiano Carranza borough or district, next to the Palace of Federal Justice. The complex draws its name from its location, as the San Lázaro Railway Station was the former occupant of the grounds where the palace was built.

Architecture and restoration

The main facade of the building, which is located on Congreso de la Unión Avenue, is made up of three sections: the two ends are lined with red tezontle and the central one with white marble, forming a wide access plaza between them. Above the main door there is a sculptural set in bas-relief, on a green oxidized bronze plate made by artist José Chávez Morado, giving the total of the set the three colors of the Flag of Mexico.

The central motif of the sculptural ensemble is the national coat of arms, surrounded by a series of moving flags symbolizing the plurality of thoughts; faces emerge from the banners that represent the popular movements that Mexico will see. A huge feathered serpent is the symbol of traditional culture; Above it, virgules emerge that when ascending are joined with several hands, and each of these, accompanied by a different allegory, symbolizes the political, economic and social diversity of contemporary Mexico. The set is crowned by a large sun with the inscription Mexican Political Constitution. On each side, as background elements, there are representations of urban and rural cultures.

Source: Wikipedia