| La Democracia Inutil |
14 July 2003
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Democracy Irrelevant to Mexican Voters
Mexican votes went to the polls last week to give President Vincente Fox and his Partido de Accion National a well-deserved kick up the backside. Or rather, 41 percent could be bothered to vote, and most of them decided the former ruling mob of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional and the Partido de la Revolucion Democratica, a leftish bunch, deserved more power. It would appear that Mexicans are becoming more and more like the gringos -- they don't vote because it doesn't matter.
The PRI used to run Mexico much like the late Mayor Daley ran Chicago, through patronage and threats of violence that were often backed up by action. So when the PAN finally won an election and the count that followed, there were great hopes that Mexican democracy was on its way.
To the extent that the people are consulted in a way there were not before, yes, Mexico enjoys greater democracy than ever. But, that is not the same as Mexico being well-governed. Mr. Fox does not get along with the American president, and his unwillingness to sanction the Bush administration's war in Iraq has not helped. It does not make Mr. Fox wrong, but it does make it harder to achieve the sorts of things Mexico needs -- the US is that important to Mexico.
The Mexican economy is not booming the way it must to allow its youthful population a shot at progress. The US has always been a haven for Mexican labor unable to earn at home, but thanks to terrorist worries, it is harder to come north either legally or not. That is the position Mr. Fox has created, and which 59% of the people, don't think voting can alter. The wind is being sown, one wonders who shall reap the whirlwind.