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Calderon's visit evokes new ties with Canada

Mexico's next leader to meet Harper today

MARINA JIMÉNEZ

Mexican president-elect Felipe Calderon will do the rounds in Ottawa today, bypassing Washington for his inaugural trip outside Latin America -- a likely signal of the veteran politician's desire to strengthen ties to Canada while loosening his country's economic dependency on the United States.

Other observers say the Canadian visit is simply a gesture intended for domestic consumption, appealing to nationalists who harbour long-standing resentment over U.S. dealings with the country.

"Every new president comes in and says he will diversify economic relations, but at the end of every six-year term, the ties with the U.S. are as strong as ever," noted George Grayson, a professor of Latin American politics at the College of William & Mary in Virginia.

Eduardo del Buey, executive director of the Ottawa-based Canadian Foundation for the Americas, believes the Canadian visit underscores the strategic relationship between the North American free-trade agreement partners. "It will be interesting to see the chemistry between the two leaders. They are political soulmates," he said.

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Mr. Calderon meets Prime Minister Stephen Harper for the first time today. They will hold a joint press conference and then Mr. Harper will play host to a working lunch.

Canada is Mexico's fifth-largest investor, with direct foreign investment at $3.1-billion last year, according to Canadian government figures. Canada is Mexico's second largest export market, after the United States, with sales of $7.8-billion (U.S.) in the first half of 2006.

Mr. Calderon, a 44-year-old Harvard-educated lawyer from the ruling National Action Party (PAN), takes office Dec. 1 at a critical time.

When outgoing President Vicente Fox came into office in 2000, his term ended 71 years of one-party authoritarianism and the domination of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).

But Mr. Calderon's victory has left the country deeply divided. His rival, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, initially refused to concede and occupied the capital's historic central plaza for weeks..

But Mr. Lopez Obrador, who is with the left-wing Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), has vowed to dog the presidency with protests and plans next week to announce a "shadow cabinet." He campaigned on a platform of creating jobs and increasing pensions for the elderly, while Mr. Calderon vowed to continue the pro-business and free-trade policies of his predecessor and bring Mexico more fully into the global economy.

"Mr. Calderon must reach out to the have-nots to show that he is not just the candidate of the rich and powerful, as Lopez Obrador is portraying him," Prof. Grayson said. Mr. Calderon, who favours button-down shirts and rimless glasses, lacks Mr. Lopez Obrador's charisma, but is a disciplined and savvy politician who may prove adept at building coalitions.

The son of a PAN party founder, Mr. Calderon has two master's degrees, is a former congressman who served as energy minister under Mr. Fox and has what observers call a good "political nose." He has said recently that fighting poverty is a top priority, a popular message in a country where half the population lives on $4 a day.

During his six-year term, Mr. Fox worked to improve human rights, security and government transparency, but many reforms stalled. Mr. Calderon must work with PRI members of Congress in order to get his initiatives passed, said Olga Abizaid, an analyst at the Canadian Foundation for the Americas.

Mr. Calderon's other main challenge will be to modernize Mexico's economy, which is weighed down by cronyism, inefficiency and virtual industry monopolies.

Tonight, Mr. Calderon will be feted by Thomas D'Aquino, president and CEO of the Canadian Council of Chief Executives.

Por supuesto que esto que escriben en el periódico se los mandan de los jefes de prensa de fecal (que pagamos nosotros); y les mandan su ridículum, falso, recordar, que fecal no fue aceptado en la UNAM y por eso tuvo que ir a la libre de derecho para estudiar abogacía; nunca de los nuncas estudió en el Law School de Harvard; lo único que hizo fue un pequeño curso de duración de menos de un año con valor curricular de actualización y no con grado de maestría. El caso de la otra maestría a la que aducen también están en duda, porque fue comprada en el ITAM y no consta tesis de esa maestría; y maestría sin tesis, solo con olor fecal se puede. Van a echarles mentiras a los gringos y a los canadienses sólo para que después les volteen la espalda. Hasta en el diario reconocen que el fecal es un don nadie y el presidente legítimo es el del gran carisma. Más mentiras por venir.