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 Editorials | Opinions | December 2005 
Fox Deserves Praise After Five Years in Office
 Carlos Luken - Mexdata.info
| | Fox’s legacy can persist only if Mexicans will accept a conviction to endure by furthering democracy, fiscal responsibility, and the rule of law – certainly the best means to gain a better future for our families. |
In his final year as Mexico’s president, Vicente Fox remains controversial, portrayed simultaneously as a daring yet unskilled leader. On December 1, 2000, the date he was inaugurated, Fox ended a 71-year power hold by the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) by raising expectations and enthusiasm with promises of ambitious political and economic programs, and the elimination of corruption.
After his election Fox soon found that his constituents were receptive to his agenda, but not to the timetable dictated by Mexico’s young democratic environment.
In recent interviews, Fox remains positive, enthusiastic, and wiser. His battle-scared presidential demeanor reveals the maturity of an experienced politician. He confidently reflects “I have no disappointments, what I do have are many challenges.”
As with most Mexicans, Fox expected results would arrive soon after the elections. His first two lessons were quickly learned: democracy is a lengthy process; and Mexicans were in no hurry to abandon their conventional lifestyle to achieve it. Making the processes longer, Fox didn’t grasp that his was a transition administration.
Fox’s tenure should be appraised as part of the democratic process he started.
While maligned by opponents, Fox has recorded impressive achievements that set the stage for an irreversible process of socioeconomic well-being and democratic rule, in a country that just five years ago was the embodiment of autocracy. Fox rectified Mexico, implementing reforms to an endemic political system that was crumbling due to generations of PRI mismanagement.
His greatest gains have been political, principally by formally recognizing and sharing power with the legislative and judicial branches of government. Fox’s almost overzealous enthusiasm for decreasing presidential omnipotence, and his refusal to sway the election balance by using government resources in favor of his National Action Party, was never understood by politicians but this has set important foundations for coming generations.
Mexicans now expect a political phenomenon that was once inconceivable – the peaceful transition of government from one party to another.
The president’s persistence to debate with a stubbornly partisan legislature, plus his support of citizen-controlled electoral processes – and the recognition of actual results, are also essential gains now taken for granted.
When faced with issues involving principles, Fox normally took the legal road regardless of the political fallout. Consequently he was labeled as impulsive by critics who turned a blind eye to Mexico’s need to do away with custom tailoring matters and needs for political expediency.
Since his term in office began, Fox faced a choice. That of exposing the PRI’s record of corruption, or ignore it and hope that PRI legislators would back his important energy, fiscal, and labor reform.
Consistently he chose the legal option and it cost him.
Fox opened indictments against powerful union leaders for illegally channeling millions from Pemex, the government’s oil and gas monopoly, to the PRI’s 2000 presidential campaign. Thus, when structural reform bills seeking to open Mexico’s vital oil and electricity sectors to private investment were presented an antagonistic Congress froze his plans.
His successful macroeconomic policies are notable. The peso is now a strong currency; Mexico’s foreign reserves have reached US$68 billion; and for the first time in 30 years Mexico has single digit inflation. Government interest rates are low, and Mexico has one of the world’s top yielding stock markets with a favorable international investment grade. Over the past five years, Mexico’s two percent-adjusted economic growth surpassed both Japan and the European Union.
On trade, Fox insists it is a national issue. He sees trade as Mexico’s challenge to persuade other nations that the only way to achieve economic growth, create jobs and improve the quality of life of citizens is through free trade and subsidy elimination.
Yet challenges remain.
Despite Fox’s headway in the war against drug traffickers and political dishonesty, and even with his success in moving transparency legislation through Congress, corruption continues to be of great concern for Mexico’s future progress.
Significant education reforms are also mandatory in Mexico’s eagerness to be a global competitor.
Fox's efforts in connection with U.S. immigration reform and ending the security buildup on the border have been ineffective, as the U.S. Congress recently approved stricter legislation. His response has been to avoid confrontation by emphasizing mutual dependency, as well as the defense of migrant’s human and labor rights, which permit continuing forums to seek solutions.
Yet Fox’s legacy can persist only if Mexicans will accept a conviction to endure by furthering democracy, fiscal responsibility, and the rule of law – certainly the best means to gain a better future for our families.
Carlos Luken, a MexiData.info columnist, is a Mexico-based businessman and consultant. He can be reached via email at ilcmex@yahoo.com. |
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