Out In Town

Mexico: One More Time!

Mexico has a new President. On December 1st, with fights, whistling and a huge display of security personnel both, Former President Vicente Fox and Newly-Elected President Felipe Calderon walked into the Legislative Palace of San Lazaro in Mexico City to have Felipe sworn in. The pitiful images were broadcasted worldwide. The ceremony was less than ten minutes long, but it was embarrassingly enough to see the kind of politicians the Mexican people have working for them. Among the special guests witnessing the chaos inside the chamber were the Prince of Asturias (Son of the King of Spain), Former U.S. President George H. Bush (Father of George W. Bush) and some other presidents and dignitaries of Latin America as well as the Governor of California. Truly an event worthy of an aspiring First World Legislation! There is much expectation on what will happen during this new “divisive” six-year term of Calderon. A lot has been happening prior to the elections of July 2nd. This is a new Republic of Mexico. A new nation that does not want to sit down and wait for results, they want results now: And understandably so. It only takes to walk a couple of blocks in downtown Mexico City to see how people survive, while it only takes to browse to some of the pages of QUIEN magazine to see how opulently the other half live. It is not being fair. It has never been fair, reason being why the vast majority of us, Mexican immigrants, now reside in other countries. It seems that these citizens of this new republic have discovered that they have a voice and they want it to be heard. Marches, protests and hot debates are now not a rarity but the norm. It seems that at last the Mexican people are interested in the affairs of their nation.

I must admit that I was not only embarrassed, but upset at the spectacle that the Mexican legislators were giving. In my very personal view the PRD (The Democratic and Revolutionary Party) lost all my respect on that day. Despite my support for Calderon on these elections, I have some shared values and goals with the leftist PRD. However, their actions proved, in my own biased opinion, to be not radical but stupid. I know the PRI and the PAN have for the most part only benefited a few people. Former President Fox tried unsuccessfully to change many things, but failed to play politics. In politics the goal of the game is to get things done (whatever good/bad/worse those things are) using the laws as obstacles that must be dodged, jumped and/or gotten around of. Unfortunately, Mr. Fox tried for the most part to play according to his own rules, a bad decision in Mexican politics.

What will happen in this coming six years? Will the Oaxaca chaos end anytime soon? Will the Narco gangs lose power in the states they now control? It is hard to tell. But, it is something we can all hope for. Maybe one day soon the NAFTA region will be as integrated and united as the European Union. Then, maybe the USA loyalty of Mexicans and Mexican Americans on this side of boarder will not be questioned. Again this is only something we can hope for. Great changes have taken place in Mexico. The Mexican people now enjoy many new freedoms. The media is no longer afraid of criticizing the President or his actions. The stock market seems strong. As of today, the Peso was gaining ground against the dollar. The infrastructure programs in El Cajon, Nayarit and Chiapas to provide huge amounts of electricity were well under way, as were the new airports and ports. In Mexico City the Trensuburbano (Urban Train) that would connect the entire Metropolitan Area of Mexico City, which has over 20 million people, will open its first phase next year. The auto-making industry in Mexico is growing and gaining grown to Detroit in the USA. The housing boom in Mexico City and other urban cities continues to grow. Tourism in Mexico is bound to expand. The beautification plans in the Historic Center of Mexico City have brought new life to Downtown. Many improvements and many changes, yet there are still many obstacles to overcome. We can only hope that the recently started mega war against the organized crime in Mexico is nothing but the beginning of great things to come for the Aztec nation. Mexicans deserve some peace and stability at last.

posted by Guerrero Azteca @ 7:12 PM