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In July of 2000, Vicente Fox Quesada laid claim to transitioning Mexico to a new system of government in just 24 hours. In a single day, people had gone to the polls and returned a vote that demanded the sweeping reforms that PAN candidate Vicente Fox had promised. For the first time in more than 70 years, the PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional) had lost a presidential election. This loss happened to coincide with the PRI reducing its hold over the electoral process and undemocratic campaign practices. These reforms will affect the very nature of the government, economy and society in Mexico.
Open Government/Corruption
Vicente Fox has recognized that the Mexican elite often view the government as their own. As a result, requests by the working class for services or information often go ignored. This also permits a fraternity of corrupt officials who only have to answer to themselves.
One important reform will be to reorganize Notimex, the government owned news agency. Currently reporters are often paid for specific stories selected by the government and there is constant interference. Fox has promised to remove the political control to allow journalistic integrity to grow. He has said that his reports will be in plain language and readily available to the public. This would be setting a precedent that would be hard for any future president to back away from.
"What
we have found is the "transparency commission," a commission made up
of citizens who are recognized for their ethics. From outside the government,
they will do the work of finding the truth in these cases. They will be behind
the institutions that are in charge of applying the law. I will be requiring
reports on their advance and bringing to bear all the will and political weight
of the presidency so that the truth is known. It's a balance always looking
ahead and always discovering the truth looking back."
-Vicente Fox
Drugs
With a culture of assassinations, Vicente Fox simply says, "Let 'em try." More importantly, he sends the message that "this is the last call." He has already reorganized multiple spying and police agencies to be supervised by a single Cabinet member. The national attorney general will be Gen. Rafael Macedo, a military prosecutor who has had no problems condemning his fellow officers when they committed crimes. This will make police actions easier to monitor the police themselves easier to hold accountable.
President Fox has always condemned the drug certification program that is unilaterally issued by the United States. Every year the United States grades the efforts of Latin American countries in combating drug manufacturing and trafficking. Foreign Aid and other diplomatic measures are often tied to the success of anti-narcotic efforts. Fox has observed that the Mexican government traditionally makes a few token efforts immediately before certification and then ignores the problem for the rest of the year. He is asking for a process in which everyone involved in the problem takes a part in the solution. He says very blatantly that Mexico can't be successful in stopping the production and trafficking of drugs if the U.S. can't stop the American addiction and consumption problem. He wants all nations to make an effort in policy and action.
Open Border/Economy
Open Border? Most American's can't believe Fox is even suggesting such a thing, probably because we get the image of people randomly strolling across the border for no apparent reason. That's not exactly what he's suggesting.
While NAFTA has allowed for some dynamic growth, it is also blamed for worker exploitation. Fox has said he will handle his presidency and the Mexican economy like a CEO entering a troubled business. Part of his business plan is increasing the scope of NAFTA. Current policies allow the US to own and operate factories inside of Mexico. American companies import raw materials and then export finished goods. With an expanded trade agreement, Fox envisions a more collaborative economy where workers are also shared. What it really equates to is an honest immigration policy. We seem to be stuck in a loop of pushing people out of the country while officials ask for more to come in. With the U.S. Congress on the verge of creating a new versions of the bracero program, many will call on Fox to protect the rights of workers at home and abroad.
This policy of looking after Mexicans everywhere also figures into Fox's success. His unprecedented appeal to U.S. Mexicans to return to Mexico for the elections and to influence their families still in Mexico may have been the source of his victory. He has even toyed with the idea of creating congressional seats for Mexicans living in the United States.
Patience
President Fox has a six-year term to begin his massive changes. These are only a few of his plans that will change the way Mexicans and the rest of the world view Mexico as a government and as a people. The fact that he was elected democratically begins an era of success. Also, the economy has remained stable, whereas it has collapsed with prior elections. The term sexenio is used to refer to the six-year presidential term and the economic collapse that accompanies it. If he can avoid that collapse, his policies may still cause some to suffer in the first few years until the benefits have time to spread. We may see a surge of violence as the cartels and crime-lords seek to hold onto to their empires, while President Fox works to restart peace talks in the Chiapas region. Already he has instituted a new department to fight discrimination and a bureau to address Indigenous issues.
It will be a long process to implement change, but so far Fox is off to a good
start. With a clear mandate from the Mexican people, he will work with at
least one U.S. President, whoever he may be, who has no corresponding
mandate from the
people of the United States.
It will be hard to get the American government to endorse significant changes
during the sensitive and uncertain presidential term that is approaching. But, with Mexico
being our neighbor and for some our family, we have to hope President Fox knows
what he's doing.
Discuss in the Forum
What do you think about Fox's plans?