Calderón Lauds LatAm Democracy
 El Universal
| | El Salvador's President Tony Saca, center, presents a plaque to Mexico's President Felipe Calderon, left, watched by Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega, right, and Honduras' President Manuel Zelaya, during the celebrations for 15 th anniversary of the peace agreements that ended 12 years of civil war, in San Salvador, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2007. (AP/Luis Romero) |
San Salvador - During the commemoration of the 15th anniversary of the Salvadoran peace accord here on Tuesday, President Felipe Calderón rejected speculation that he was concerned by the advance of leftist governments in Latin America.
"The orientation of the government, left or right, is irrelevant," Calderón said. "What is relevant is that the people choose their government, regardless of the ideological slants of Latin American administrations."
He added that his government´s objectives in the region are development, and fostering "unity and integration, regardless of the sympathies or ideological preferences of those governing."
Calderón acknowledged that the region´s peace has yet to translate into sustained development.
While in San Salvador, Calderón signed an agreement with his El Salvadoran counterpart, Tony Saca, to create a special binational security commission to follow issues related to gangs, drug trafficking, undocumented migration and arms smuggling.
The nations´ top diplomats, including Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Patricia Espinosa, will be in charge of the commission, the leaders said.
"In the past we have had importation collaboration between both governments, and now we are reinforcing that collaboration," Calderón said.
The president´s remarks may represent a departure from the strategy of his predecessor, Vicente Fox, who had a number of diplomatic rows with some of the region´s left-leaning leaders.
Fox feuded with Cuban leader Fidel Castro over the island nation´s human rights record, and with Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez over the latter´s opposition to a Free Trade Agreement of the Americas.
During Calderón´s campaign, he compared rival candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador to Chávez, saying a victory by the left would bring about a return of economic instability of decades past.
Diplomatic ties with Cuba and Venezuela, severed under Fox, remain at the level of commercial attachés, although the Calderón team has recently announced it is negotiating the re-establishment of relations with Venezuela, and would like to do the same with Cuba.
Associated Press reporter Diego Mendez contributed to this story. |
Vallarta Weddings
News from Around the Americas | January 2007 
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us