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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | May 2006 
Fox Defends Immigration Stance as U.S. Sends Troops to Border
Bloomberg
| | Travellers are screened by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent as they cross through the Hidalgo Port of Entry from Mexico into the United States in Hidalgo, Texas. Mexican President Vicente Fox called President Bush last Sunday to express concern about what he called the possibility of a 'militarized' border between the two nations. (AP/Alex Jones) |
The president´s muted response to the U.S. proposal to send 6,000 soldiers to the border received considerable criticism as he prepares for a visit to the United States next week.
The president´s muted response to the U.S. proposal to send 6,000 soldiers to the border received considerable criticism as he prepares for a visit to the United States next week.
President Vicente Fox on Wednesday rejected criticism that he failed to protest U.S. President George W. Bush´s decision this week to send 6,000 National Guard troops to secure the U.S.-Mexico border.
"We have a good, constructive, positive relation," Fox said in an interview with Formato 21, a Mexico City radio station. "That doesn´t mean President Fox is either weak or accepts any kind of human rights violations."
Fox has raised concerns with Bush in recent meetings about putting troops on the border, part of his effort to win an immigration agreement with the United States.
Bush said in a nationally televised speech on May 15 that the National Guard troops will stay along the border until they are replaced with new hires in the U.S. Border Patrol.
The troops will be restricted to building fences, roads and obstacles and operating surveillance equipment, Bush said.
Many Mexicans, including members of Fox´s National Action Party, have equated the arrival of National Guard troops with the militarization of the border.
"The Mexican government´s response was very lukewarm," said José Antonio Crespo, a political analyst with the Center for Economic Research and Teaching in Mexico City.
Fox said his critics are ignoring that Mexico is close to reaching an agreement with the United States that may create temporary work visas and a program to allow illegal immigrants residing in the United States to stay legally - the two points on which his administration has most actively lobbied the U.S. government.
"We could be talking about 5 million or 6 million, in the case of Mexicans, who would reach this new status," Fox said.
Fox also said the decision to deploy the National Guard was not only related to immigration, but to security in general.
He also stressed his government´s commitment to combat the activities of drug traffickers, kidnappers, people traffickers and other criminal groups operating along the border, "always within the limits of the law."
"There´s a (political) opposition in Mexico that wants to detract from what we´re on the verge of achieving (in terms of immigration), always seeing things from a negative point of view and the glass as half empty," Fox said.
Fox said he´s planning to tour the U.S. cities of Salt Lake City, Seattle, Sacramento and Los Angeles from May 23 to May 26 to talk to business leaders, politicians and Mexican residents. |
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