Archived Weblog Entry - 05/14/2006: "On Mexican politics"

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05/14/2006 Archived Entry: "On Mexican politics"

On Tuesday last week I went (totally against my will let me be clear about it, but there are invitations you cannot refuse), to an event organized by the presidential candidate from the PAN, Felipe Calderon. The meeting focused on entrepreneurship as a fundamental pillar of his political plan to invigorate the Mexican economy and create much needed jobs.

Personally I have no interest whatsoever in Mexican politics but compared to candidates with demagogical rhetoric like Lopez Obrador, it strikes me that Felipe Calderon demonstrates a sound analysis of the economy, promoting SMBs as a vector of growth and employment, as outlined in his discourse. He gives me the same reassuring and boring impression as European technocrats: no dramatic upheaval of society will take place if he wins the Mexican presidency and the population will observe a genuine improvement of their life conditions, albeit at an arthritic snail’s pace.

What shocks me in the current political campaign is how vocal Mexicans can be about their preferences, caring little about what I believe are basic non-written rules of peaceful co-existence and mutual respect. For example, I’m still flabbergasted that one of our employees had the cheek to put a Felipe Calderon sticker above her desk in the office. She seems to blissfully ignore that the workplace is not a political playground!

That same person also had the nerve to send out an e-mail to all staff, inviting to boycott American businesses on May 1st (see this article on the subject), not even thinking for a second that her employer’s balance sheet reported nearly 50% income from the export of professional services to US firms in 2005. This type of brainless attitude seems most irresponsible to me.

Nevertheless, my biggest surprise was when I came back from the Felipe Calderon meeting and mentioned to a client my disgruntlement at enduring one hour of political brainwashing without seeing any known fellow-entrepreneur, he replied half jokingly half menacingly: “beware of the Article 33”. What is this article about? After some research it turns out that this is an article of the Mexican Constitution that guarantees immediate deportation for any foreigner caught meddling in Mexican politics!

This is an astonishing example of double standards and I wonder if the Mexicans are even aware of it. God knows I’m no fan of the United States but this time I can only side with a viewpoint expressed by several Americans, as in this article. Mexico’s attitude has been highly vociferous in the question of the immigration laws in the USA, a question of pure domestic policy. Have all Mexicans brandishing national flags in the US been expelled on the spot? Perhaps the most tolerant nation is not the one crying foul the loudest…!

The pinnacle of injustice is that the said Article 33 of the Mexican constitution does not even give a basic (in Human Rights sense) right of audience and appeal to foreigners! Having lived in several countries before, it’s the first time I felt treated with such contempt from a legal standpoint. However, it does fit a pattern I have noticed: as a foreigner, I’m only good to Mexico if I work hard to create jobs for Mexicans, and shut my mouth when it comes to any criticism or plea for recognition.

The situation is changing however, and at the risk of facing deportation, my belief is that the shift of power in Mexican politics has been instrumental in bringing the country to the 21st century, promoting a more efficient and open government, with institutions like NAFIN and CONACYT having made tremendous strides to become effective instruments to foster economic growth. Even anachronisms like the Article 33 are being critically re-examined by some Senators.

So, Sr. Felipe Calderon, you may have supporters that are not my cup of tea, but I do hope you win these elections and that 2006 won't mark a return to the dark ages of Mexican politics. Perhaps you’ll be more than the technocrat you look like and will work heart and soul on making Mexico a better country to live in, for everybody: Mexicans and foreigners alike.

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