Fox Assumes Presidency of Mexico

Former Coca-Cola Exec Promises to Open Talks with EZLN

by Nina Clandestina

On December 1st, Vicente Fox Quesada was inaugurated as the new president of Mexico- ending the uninterrupted71-year rule of the PRI. This shift of power from one political party to another was widely touted by the international press as evidence that Mexico has been transformed overnight from a PRIista dictatorship to a meaningful and representative democracy entirely through the electoral process. While many of the ballots cast for Fox were votes against the PRI, the main difference between Fox and his presidential predecessors is that he represents another (even more conservative) political party- the PAN.

Not everyone in Mexico is experiencing the "euphoria of optimism" that the mass media throughout the world is referring to with such frequency when discussing the new administration. For the many Mexicans who see the roots of the country's current economic, environmental and military problems in the policies of neoliberalism and the plunder of human and natural resources by multinational business and banking interests, it isn't very heartening to have the former president of Coca-Cola's Mexican operations at the helm of the executive branch.

Fox also spent much of his six months and president elect traveling the world discussing future trade agreements and encouraging foreign investment. He was the keynote speaker at the Fortune 500 Forum held here last October. Several of his appointees for cabinet positions have likewise caused concern among union and student groups.

However, what he will do in office remains to be seen. He did make some interesting first moves, including giving a well-publicized order to close a few army checkpoints in Chiapas- a small fraction- and was lauded by the press for his commitment to peace. Substantially speaking, the closings were little more than public relations smoke bombs. According to one of the 4 EZLN communiques released on Dec. 2nd:

"Yesterday the army began a series of movements which reduced the number of search positions. These movements,as far as our information goes, have not changed the number and density of federal troops within the so-called "conflict zone." These movements could be interpreted as a simple propaganda tactic which seeks to present what is simple a reduction of checkpoints as a withdrawal. But they can also be interpreted as the beginning of a larger demilitarization. The EZLN, making an effort, judges them to be a sign of a willingness for greater commitments."

In this communique, the Zapatistas demanded the withdrawal and closing of seven key army positions near the Zapatista base communities. The specify that "this withdrawal should be complete and it should not be replaced by any other military or police force whether state or federal. It should not be simulated through geographic removals from the noted places, that is withdrawing does not mean 'moving back a few meters.' Any new military or police position, state or federal, will be seen as a mockery and will cancel all the signals [needed to reopen talks.]"

Another gesture made by Fox was to send the San Andr‚s accords (signed by the EZLN and the federal government in 1996) to congress for a vote. The central command of the EZLN responded the next day to say that a delegation of24 commanders would travel to Mexico City some time in February to address congress directly. They have asked people around the world to join them. As stated in the Dec. 2 communique, "the Zapatista delegation is calling for- and hoping for- the accompaniment of civil society as a whole, without distinction or preference, for which is will shortly be announcing the program and route of the trip to Mexico City, whose organization will be in the sole and exclusive hands of the EZLN."

Exactly when in February the EZLN will travel to Mexico City will be announced in the coming weeks. It is interesting to note that Fox is scheduled to host the 2001 World Economic Forum in Cancun during the last week of February- an event which was originally supposed to take place in Mexico City from Dec. 3-5th but was moved for unstated reasons.

By coming out of the jungle to the capital for negotiations, the Zapatistas will force Fox to choose. He can either opt for peace, withdraw troops to their pre-1994 positions and abide by the San Andr‚s accords, or he can choose to push forward with the policies of neoliberalism and enact the structural adjustments demanded by the World Bank and IMF-and thereby continue the war in Chiapas.