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Vicente Fox

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Vicente Fox Quesada
President of Mexico
In office
December 1, 2000 – November 30, 2006
Preceded byErnesto Zedillo
Succeeded byFelipe Calderón
Personal details
Born (1942-07-02) July 2, 1942 (age 82)
Mexico City, Mexico
Political partyNational Action Party
SpouseMarta Sahagún de Fox

Vicente Fox Quesada[1] (born July 2, 1942) was President of Mexico from 2000 to 2006. He was elected in the 2000 presidential election, a historically significant election that made him the first president elected from an opposition party since Francisco Madero in 1911. He was elected with 42 percent of the vote, marking the first time that the then-dominant Institutional Revolutionary Party had lost a Presidential election. When Fox took office, it marked the first time in Mexico's history that an incumbent president had peacefully surrendered power to an elected opposition victor.

Personal life

Early life

Vicente Fox was born in Mexico City on July 2, 1942, the second of nine children in his family. His father was José Luis Fox Pont and his mother was Mercedes Quesada. His paternal grandfather, José Luis Fox Flach, was born Joseph Louis Fuchs in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States, son of German Catholic immigrants Louis Fuchs and Catherina Elisabetha Flach.[2]

Some have claimed that Vicente Fox's grandfather was of Irish descent, but the Cincinnati Federal Census records (1850, 1860) show that he was of German descent. The Fuchs ('fox' in German) family changed the spelling of their last name to Fox after 1870. In 1890, Joseph L. Fox worked as a shipping clerk for Emerson & Fisher, the carriage makers.[3] Given the company's failure,[4] and Cincinnati's economic stagnation, Joseph emigrated in 1898 to the nearest region that welcomed Catholic immigrants, Mexico, and changed the spelling of his name to José Luis Fox Flach.[5]

In 1915 he purchased a ranch in San Francisco del Rincón in Guanajuato,[6] since then the Fox family seat. Vicente was born in Mexico City, but spent his childhood and his adolescence on the ranch. He moved back to Mexico City to attend the Universidad Iberoamericana where he pursued a business degree until 1964. He completed his bachelor’s degree in 1999. In 1964, he went to work for The Coca-Cola Company where he started as a route supervisor and drove a delivery truck. He rose in the company to become supervisor of Coca-Cola's operations in Mexico, and then in all of Latin America. After this work experience, he returned to Guanajuato to participate in social and political activities. Inspired by Manuel Clouthier, he decided to join the PAN in the 80s. He was a deputy representing Guanajuato in 1988, and he later ran for Governor of Guanajuato twice. The first time was in 1991, where he failed, and in 1995 he won by a sizable majority. In 2000 he ran for President of Mexico as candidate of the Alliance for Change.[7]

Marriage

Vicente Fox married a receptionist at Coca-Cola, Lilian de la Concha." They adopted four children, and in 1990, after 20 years of marriage, Lilian filed for divorce.[8][9]

Vicente married for the second time while in office. On July 2, 2001, he married Marta Sahagún, who had been his Public Relations advisor.[10] For both, this was their second marriage.

Campaign for President

Vicente Fox ran a campaign that is remembered as one of the most successful and memorable in Mexican history[citation needed]. One of the most memorable campaign moments, occured when Fox was broadcast in national television arguing with his two main opponents on whether a debate should be held that same day or the following Friday[citation needed]. For minutes, Fox keeping repeating the same word "HOY" meaning "today", originating the famous phrase "hoy, hoy, hoy!". The other candidates decided to postpone the debate, but Fox used that day's airtime anyways. Though, at first the action brought criticism to Fox, it soon backfired against his opponents when Fox started using his new pharse to gain new supporters as he campaigned for a better future "today". He claimed that his opponents wanted to leave everything for tomorrow, including Mexico's problems[citation needed].

Early political career

In the 80's Vicente Fox began to participate in public activities in Guanajuato, where he created the Patronato de la Casa Cuna Amigo Daniel, where children get medical service, he was president of Patronato Loyola a sponsor of the Universidad Iberoamericana Léon Campus and Lux Institute.

With the support of Manuel J. Clouthier, Vicente Fox join the PAN on march 1st 1988. This year he ran and was elected as member of the congress by the III Federal District in Guanajuato, in this period he was Coordinator of the Farming Commissions of the PAN fraction. In 1995 he was a member of the San Angel Group[1]

Presidency

Relations with Congress

In his last annual state of the union address in 2006, President Fox was prevented by leftist lawmakers from delivering his speech. He gave a televised address to the nation.[11]


Legacy

According to Enrique Andrade, a Mexico City-based attorney and business consultant, during Fox's presidency annual inflation was consistently under 10%, the peso's devaluation to the United States Dollar was unsubstantial, and central bank reserves were significant.[12]

Andrade also credited the Fox administration with increasing respect for freedom of speech, as well as access to public information.[13]

Economy

Vicente Fox was one of the few Presidents to avoid a major economic upheaval during office. During the three decades before Fox was elected, Mexico had experienced some level of economic devaluations every time a President left office[citation needed], until Ernesto Zedillo whose presidency started with the 1994 economic crisis, largely attributed to Carlos Salinas de Gortari from Zedillo's own party the PRI. Zedillo inherited the office to Fox without any economic urgency. In 2006, Vicente Fox left the office to Felipe Calderon without any currency devaluation, or other financial trouble.

During Vicente Fox's term, the amount of registered taxpayers grew 35%. According to data by the Tributary Administration Service, the main driver behind this increase was growth in salary-based workers, starting in 2004, and that amounted for a 217% growth compared to 2000 on this type of taxpayers. The more than 12 million salary-based workers who are registered to pay taxes constitute 56% of the taxpaying base.[14]

Mexico quadrupled the number of people with access to the internet in the period of 2000 to 2006, from 5 million to over 20 million internet users.[15]

Housing was among Vicente Fox's top priorities. By 2006, the Infonavit, the Federal fund for low income housing, had 60% "market share" in the mortgage business, granting 435,000 credits a year, with an expected yearly growth of 24%.[16]

During Vicente Fox, the Mexican Stock Exchange reached record highs throughout his Presidency.[17] [18] [19] The record highs were cause by a better economic outlook throughout his term, largers international reserves, and a better debt rating that led to lower interest rates.[20]

Foreign policy and migration

Before Vicente Fox, Mexico had a Foreign Policy "doctrine" known as the Doctrina Estrada (Estrada Doctrine, so named after its creator, Genaro Estrada). The Doctrina Estrada was a foreign policy directorate that favored an enclosed view of sovereignty. It claimed that foreign governments should not judge, for good or bad, governments or changes in governments in other nations, because it would imply a breach to its sovereignty.[21]

US President George W. Bush, Fox and Canada's Prime Minister Stephen Harper stand in front of "El Castillo", Chichen Itza on Thursday, March 30, 2006.

President Fox appointed Jorge Castañeda to be his Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Castañeda immediately broke with the Estrada Doctrine, promoting what was called by critics the Castañeda Doctrine. The new foreign policy called for an openess and an acceptance of criticism from the international community, and the increase of Mexican involvement in Foreign Affairs.[22] Editorialists in the media and think tanks like COHA, have heavily criticized Mexico's new foreign policy for being overtly submissive to the U.S.[23].[24][25]

During Fox's term, Mexico actively sought (and gained) a temporary position in the UN Security Council.[26] During this appointment, Mexico did not support the U.S. lead invasion of Iraq.[27] damaging US-Mexico relations.[28].

Fox created a plan to develop Central America, called the Plan Puebla Panama. He has been criticized for his support of it.[29][30][31]

Mexico hosted several International Summits during Fox's administration.[32] In the Monterrey Summit of 2001, which ended in the adoption of the Monterrey Consensus, President Fox and his Foreign Relations cabinet were protagonists of one of the most serious diplomatic scandals of his administration. For the Summit, many heads of State where invited to the International Conference on Financing for Development. However, in the early stages of the meeting Cuban President Fidel Castro surprisingly stood and said that he was leaving the city because of a "a special situation created by my participation in this Summit". Fox repeatedly denied Castro's allegations that he was asked to leave the summit, as per the U.S. request.[33] A few days after the incident, a recorded phone call between Fox and Castro where the Mexican president asks Castro to leave before George Bush arrived to the summit was leaked to the press.[34].

During Fox's administration, Mexico pushed negotiations for a "comprehensive immigration reform" that addressed the problem of illegal immigration to the United States. The issue has been called "The Whole Enchilada" by Fox's administration, and states that "immigration reform in the United States should address mutual border problems, the rights of undocumented immigrants, and the development of regions in Mexico that 'expel' migrants".[35]. Even though this reform has been used as Fox's flagship for foreign policy to the U.S., according to former U.S. embassador to Mexico Jeffrey Davidow, no formal negotiations occurred between the parties, all discussions on the subject were informal.[36]

The border migration policy that Fox hoped to achieve included a Guest Worker Plan, "The best thing that can happen to both our countries is to have an orderly flow, a controlled flow, of migration to the United States. ".[37] This reform was supported by president Bush and approved by the U.S. Senate, however, the bill was rejected by the House of Representatives.[38] Today the hopes for the approval of the bill are lower than ever and have been complicated by the recent approval of the SBI (Secure Border Initiative), a bill that includes building a 700 mile triple fence between the U.S. and Mexico.[39].[40]

During Fox's presidency the net migration rate in Mexico increased 152% from -2.84 migrants per 1,000 habitants in 2000[41] to -4.32 in 2006;[42] comparably in the same period the population growth decreased 35% from 1.57%[43] to 1.16%.[44] Fox, who has said to be "proud" of the Mexican Immigrants in the U.S.[45] has acknowledged the importance of remittances by both legal and illegal Mexican workers in the U.S. (now the #1 source of revenue for the country);[46][47] sparking criticism from U.S. conservatives that claim that Mexico advocates soft migration policies to continue the influx of foreign generated capital instead of promoting a healthier economy that offers better opportunities to Mexicans slowing migration to the US[48][49]

Science and Technology

According to René Drucker Colín, coordinator of basic science research for Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, "no other government in recent history has neglected research in the basic sciences as Fox's".[50] Fox's plan for the Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia, CONACYT, was that by 2006 this organization would receive 1% of the GDP, however the budget for this organization for FY 2006 was 0.33% of the GDP.[51][52]

Presidential Library

On January 12, 2007[53], over a month after he left office, President Vicente Fox announced the construction of a presidential library.[54] The project will be a library, museum, a "center for the advancement of democracy", a study center, and a hotel, and it will be completely privately funded[55] [56]. It is expected to be a genuine U.S. style presidential library[citation needed]. It will be built in his home State of Guanajuato, in his home town of San Francisco del Rincón. While museums are abundant throughout the country, it has nothing comparable to a presidential library where personal documents, records, and gifts amass by a country’s leader are opened to the public. Fox’s library will be modeled after the Bill Clinton Library in Little Rock, Arkansas,[57] which, according to the former President, will allow Mexicans to enjoy, for the first time in Mexico’s history, the liberty to revise the documents, images and records that made up his six years as president.[58]

According to Alan Wall of Mexidata.info, if President Fox’s Presidential Library is successful, it may be likely that Felipe Calderon, who is from Fox’s own party, the National Action Party (PAN), would also make his own library, and create a tradition.[59]

According to the former President’s official website, the construction of his library is in progress and advancing.[60] Final completion of the library is still unknown.

Controversial comments

  • In May 2005, a controversy arose over comments Fox made during a news interview in which he said, "There is no doubt that Mexicans, filled with dignity, willingness and ability to work, are doing jobs that not even blacks want to do there in the United States". This angered many African-Americans in the United States, prompting many black leaders to demand an apology from Fox. The Reverend Al Sharpton requested a formal apology from Fox to the African-American community and called for an economic boycott of Mexican products until an apology was received; he and many African-Americans felt that Fox's comments were insensitive and racist. The Reverend Jesse Jackson, during a news conference concerning Fox's statement about African-Americans, said that he felt that the comments were, "unwitting, unnecessary and inappropriate" and added that "[Fox's] statement had the impact of being inciting and divisive".[61]
  • Another controversial comment occurred when he mentioned that Mexicans nowadays have more washing machines in their homes, but not of the "two-legged kind". This irritated many feminist movements inside Mexico and abroad.
  • Fox is also known for mistaking the name of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges as "José Luis Borgues".[62]
  • In 2006 after Evo Morales refusal to sell natural gas to willing buyers. Fox said, "Well, they'll either have to consume it all themselves or they're going to have to eat it." [citation needed]
  • In yet another controversial move he decided to cancel the parade commemorating the 96th anniversary of the Mexican Revolution to take place November 20, arguing that it's an obsolete celebration in which nobody wants to participate anymore. Some analysts consider that this is a response to Andrés Manuel López Obrador's alternative presidency assuming to take place the same day. Criticism changes regarding the different sources: while some consider it a smart decision, others view it as a sign of political weakness.[63]
  • In November 2006, the TV network Telemundo released a video recording previous to an interview with President Fox where he states: "Ya hoy hablo libre, ya digo cualquier tontería, ya no importa, ya total, yo ya me voy", which means "I can speak freely. Now I can say any stupidity. It doesn't matter. Anyway, I'm already leaving". Then, during the interview he talked about the violent situation in Oaxaca. The President's office complained about the release of this images and said he was not aware of the camera and microphones being turned on. News agency EFE accused Telemundo of acting unethically, for the video is their intellectual property.[64]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ See Spanish naming customs for an explanation on the use of his name
  2. ^ http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2006/09/01/index.php
  3. ^ Ancestry.com. Cincinnati, Ohio Directory, 1890-91 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2000. Original data: Cincinnati, OH, USA: Williams & Co., 1890.
  4. ^ "A Microcosmic history of the Carriage Industry of the United States.", A few leading Carriage centers. Hub, October 1897, pages 420-430.
  5. ^ http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2006/09/01/index.php
  6. ^ http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2006/08/31/004o1pol.php
  7. ^ http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/vicentefox/?contenido=15063
  8. ^ http://www.texasobserver.org/article.php?aid=20
  9. ^ http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Mexico/Fox_Inc_Mexico.html
  10. ^ http://www.presidencia.gob.mx/actividades/comunicados/?contenido=1340
  11. ^ http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/09/01/mexico.protest.ap/index.html
  12. ^ González, Enrique Andrade (August 28, 2006). "The Final Days of Mexican President Vicente Fox". Mexidata.info. Retrieved 2006-09-30., Third Paragraph
  13. ^ González 2006, Sixth Paragraph
  14. ^ Registro de contribuyentes crece 35% en el sexenio de Fox by El Universal. "Registro Federal de Contribuyentes reportó un crecimiento de 35.37%, informó el Servicio de Administración Tributaria (SAT). El gran motor que impulsó la base de contribuyentes fue la incorporación masiva de asalariados que comenzó a partir de 2004. "A partir de 2004 se empezó a registrar a los asalariados, creciendo el padrón de RFC 217.57%, respecto del total de los contribuyentes registrados a diciembre de 2000", expuso el SAT. La información de la autoridad detalla que existen 12 millones 760 mil contribuyentes agrupados en asalariados, que constituyen 56% del total registrados."
  15. ^ México, un buen mercado para internet by El Universal "Con 20.5 millones de cibernautas estimados al finalizar 2006, México está considerado entre los 12 mercados más grandes del mundo en materia de internet, de acuerdo con Francisco Ceballos, presidente del consejo directivo de la Asociación Mexicana de Internet (AMIPCI). El avance es relevante, si se considera que en el año 2000 existían apenas 5 millones de usuarios, lo que quiere decir que en seis años la cifra se cuadruplicó."
  16. ^ Pramerica Real Estate Investors
  17. ^ Alcanza Bolsa Mexicana nuevo máximo histórico by El Universal on December 11, 2005.
  18. ^ Alcanza Bolsa Mexicana nuevo máximo histórico by El Universal on January 7, 2006.
  19. ^ Alcanza Bolsa Mexicana nuevo máximo histórico, gana 1.25% by El Universal on April 29, 2006.
  20. ^ El riesgo país de México se colocó en niveles mínimos by El Universal
  21. ^ "la doctrina Estrada dice que México no debe juzgar, ni para bien ni para mal, los gobiernos ni los cambios en el gobierno de otras naciones porque implicaría una intromisión en su soberanía."
  22. ^ "La nueva diplomacia mexicana se definió con base en el cambio político inaugurado el 2 de julio del 2000 y en las transformaciones del mundo. Por tanto, México será activo en defensa de la democracia que le costó muchos años consolidar por la vía de la alternancia."
  23. ^ http://www.williambowles.info/americas/fox_chooses_us.html
  24. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/03/02/AR2006030202221.html
  25. ^ http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2004/08/11/044n2soc.php?origen=soc-jus.php&fly=2
  26. ^ http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/membship/election/2001/1009mexico.htm
  27. ^ http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/03/21/iraq/main545101.shtml
  28. ^ http://www.usbc.org/info/newslet/BA0503.pdf#search='Vicente%20Fox%20criticism%20war%20Iraq'
  29. ^ http://www.iadb.org/ppp/
  30. ^ http://www.projectcensored.org/publications/2004/16.html
  31. ^ http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=3953
  32. ^ http://www.allbusiness.com/north-america/mexico/189139-1.html
  33. ^ http://www.radioformula.com.mx/programas/lopezdoriga/articulos.asp?ID=9023
  34. ^ http://www.worldpress.org/Americas/518.cfm
  35. ^ http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=32797
  36. ^ http://www.elpais.es/articulo/reportajes/oso/puercoespin/elpdomrpj/20040104elpdmgrep_3/Tes/
  37. ^ http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/world/mexico/stories/DN-mexicofox_30int.ART.State.Edition2.e950034.html
  38. ^ http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/immigration;_ylt=A86.I1NlGTZEThIBNBxnr7sF;_ylu=X3oDMTA0cDJlYmhvBHNlYwM-
  39. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/30/AR2006093000490.html
  40. ^ http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2006/q2/060531c_nr.html
  41. ^ http://permanent.access.gpo.gov/lps35389/2000/net_migration_rate.html
  42. ^ https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mx.html
  43. ^ http://globalis.gvu.unu.edu/indicator_detail.cfm?IndicatorID=29&Country=MX
  44. ^ https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mx.html
  45. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/24/AR2006052402389.html
  46. ^ http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/05/21/MNGFQIVNAF1.DTL
  47. ^ http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/mexico/20030924-2051-us-mexico.html
  48. ^ http://www.federalistjournal.com/fedblog/?p=2767
  49. ^ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mexico/Economy#Remittances
  50. ^ http://www.jornada.unam.mx/2006/09/22/053n2soc.php
  51. ^ http://gaceta.cicese.mx/ver.php?topico=especial&ejemplar=106&id=40
  52. ^ http://gaceta.cicese.mx/ver.php?topico=secciones&ejemplar=95&sid=3&id=1474&n=Pol%C3%ADtica%20Cient%C3%ADfica
  53. ^ AND Fox&siteelnorte Harán realidad a 'Foxilandia' by Grupo Reforma
  54. ^ http://centrofox.org.mx/cebm_c070413_1.html
  55. ^ Interesa a IP 'Foxilandia' by Grupo Reforma
  56. ^ Callan sobre inversión en 'Foxilandia' by Grupo Reforma
  57. ^ http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070218/news_1n18fox.html
  58. ^ http://centrofox.org.mx/cebm_c070129.html
  59. ^ http://www.mexidata.info/id1221.html
  60. ^ http://centrofox.org.mx/cebm_c070413_1.html
  61. ^ http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/05/14/fox.jackson/
  62. ^ http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/403553.html
  63. ^ http://www.cronica.com.mx/nota.php?id_nota=267946
  64. ^ http://www.elporvenir.com.mx/notas_coment.asp?nota_id=95084&cmt=16429
  65. ^ http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/403553.html
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Preceded by President of Mexico
2000–2006 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Governor of Guanajuato
1995–2000 		Succeeded by
Preceded by PAN presidential candidate
2000 (won) 		Succeeded by

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