Fox: Q And A

MEXICO CITY — In 2000, President Vicente Fox was elected as a pro-business president and friend of the United States, ending a 71-year lock on power in Mexico by the PRI, the Institutional Revolutionary Party.

Mexican law prohibits re-election, so Fox will leave office in December 2006 after Mexicans select his successor in July. Currently, the leading contender is a left-leaning candidate who doesn't believe strongly in free trade reforms as a method of creating jobs.

Fox, 63, gave an exclusive interview Tuesday to Cox Newspapers' Susan Ferriss. He said he has faith the United States will endorse a guest-worker program before he leaves office, and he warned that Mexico — like China — must press ahead with more international trade to create jobs and reduce poverty. Here are excerpts:

Q: You were attacked quite a bit for defending the idea of the Free Trade Area of the Americas at the Summit of the Americas last week. Why do you continue to defend free trade so much?

FOX: I don't want to talk about the summit. We've been one of the great beneficiaries of free trade. We have more free trade treaties than any other country in the world, with 42 countries. Agreements like NAFTA [the North American Free Trade Agreement] ... have been very successful. That's why Mexico has [a total import-export trade figure] of $400 billion, the seventh largest in the world. That creates a lot of jobs, jobs of high quality that are well paid. Our economy has grown because of these accords. So given these hard facts, I am a defender of free trade because I think it's the best way to fight poverty, unemployment and to increase per capita income.

Q: In spite of these accords, unemployment and poverty continue to be a big problem in Mexico. There are half a million Mexicans a year emigrating, many of them as illegal immigrants, to the United States.

FOX: If my explanation isn't enough for you, I'll give you another: China. China is becoming one of the most open economies in the world. China belongs to the World Trade Organization. Who can question the success of China? And who can question that international trade has been the reason for China's growth? China has lots of poor people, just like Mexico. But that doesn't mean that poverty can't be defeated through trade and investment.

Q: You've always had high hopes that an immigration agreement would be part of economic integration with the United States. Who and what does that depend on now?

FOX: I have to keep working with the Congress in the United States and with governors. It's a theme that's been in the works for many years. It's a theme that's been in the works for a century. I don't get despondent. I don't lose hope. I maintain my conviction that we will advance and resolve this.

Q: We know this issue faded after 9/11. Is there anything you think you should have done differently after 9/11 to advance Mexico's agenda?

FOX: No, I don't think there is more to do than what we've done. We've been very candid and we've worked in our administration on this. President Bush's administration has worked on this. It's a very complex issue that requires more work.

Q: Your government began with some great success early on by capturing some big-name drug traffickers. Lately, there's been criticism that Mexico isn't doing enough about drug smuggling. Do you think the drug war is winnable?

FOX: I don't know who's doing the criticizing. But with all due respect, it's a battle that we are winning. It's a battle in which we now have the majority of the bosses of the cartels in prison ... I'm not saying everything is resolved. But we're advancing down the right road.

Q: What's been your greatest disappointment related to the reforms you've proposed that haven't been accepted in the Congress?

FOX: I'm not disappointed. This life is for fighters. This life is for optimists and hard workers. I fight every day for those reforms. They are sitting there, stuck in the Congress, reforms that have to do with taxes, energy, pensions and labor. Don't forget that my government is a minority government. I don't have a majority in the Congress. If the Congress hasn't wanted to approve these reforms that the Mexican people want and that this government wants, then the Congress will have to assume responsibility for that.

Q: The leftist candidate of the PRD is ahead in the polls right now in the race for the presidency. And you can interpret from his speeches that his position is somewhat anti-free trade.

FOX: Mexican law doesn't allow me to support or endorse candidates. So I don't make comments about candidates. What I can say is what is good for Mexico. And what is good for Mexico are strong international relationships, free trade, globalization to able to keep growing, the fight against poverty, stability in finances and budgets and a surplus in the budget, which is what we propose. Financial disorder, populism, demagoguery and easy, happy solutions to problems, all that does is lead to more poverty throughout the country. History has shown Mexicans that very clearly. I don't think Mexicans are going to fall for tricks next July. They are going to be very careful not to return to the authoritarian, corrupt past or return to populism and demagoguery.

Q: What will you do when you leave office?

FOX: I plan to go home, and to attend to my family, my grandchild and my children, write about my experiences as a political person and a businessman — and go horseback riding.

Q: You talk a lot about the freedom of expression that exists now with your government. Can you talk about that? You are made fun of a lot on television and in cartoons and newspaper columns, and you tolerate it. But your wife, the first lady, is suing some media for defamation.

FOX: The democracy that Mexicans won on July 2, 2000, was for the good of all. I am the first democratically elected president of this country, and that's why I have a great commitment to free expression. We don't insist on a line, we don't pressure or demand or pay off secret money to the news media to get certain treatment. There is absolute freedom. And the media in Mexico is learning to exercise that freedom. There are those who do it with a great sense of responsibility. Freedom comes with that responsibility. And there are some who don't do that. There are those who deceive, manipulate and defame. Time and democracy will do justice in this area. But even so, I as president will continue to defend, to my last breath, this freedom because it is a basic article of democracy.