Thread: Immigration is Mexico's disgrace:

Immigration is Mexico's disgrace: leftist candidate
Tue May 16, 2006 3:21pm ET
Email This Article | Print This Article | Reprints [-] Text [+] By Alistair Bell

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Illegal immigration to the United States is "Mexico's disgrace," caused by the government's failure to create enough jobs, the country's leftist presidential candidate said on Tuesday.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who trails conservative Felipe Calderon in polls ahead of July 2 elections, accused President Vicente Fox's administration of causing the flight of millions of Mexicans to the north, which prompted President Bush to order National Guard troops to the border.

"They are the ones mostly responsible for what is going on because there is no employment, there are no jobs in Mexico so people need to emigrate," Lopez Obrador said on his morning television show."


He said Bush's plan, announced on Monday night, to deploy up to 6,000 National Guard troops to help secure the Mexican border would not end the flow of illegal aliens.

"It is not the solution. It is not an alternative but it is a disgrace for us Mexicans because of the irresponsible rulers of this country," the leftist said.

Fox, a conservative, has not lived up to a campaign promise to create 1 million jobs a year and oil-rich Mexico's economy has grown only slowly in his 5 1/2 years in office, although it is expanding rapidly this year.

Lopez Obrador's comments echoed those of some U.S. critics who say Mexico should do more to keep its people at home.

But he said Washington also needs to help Mexico economically if it is to stem the illegal immigration which has mushroomed in recent years. Continued...

"The relation we should have between nations and governments is a relation marked by cooperation for development. They need to contribute so that there is development in Mexico," he said.

Some 1.2 million people, most of them Mexicans, were detained trying to cross the border illegally last year. U.S. authorities estimate around half a million successfully made the crossing.

Lopez Obrador, the former mayor of Mexico City, opposes the free market policies of Fox and his predecessors.

He vows to boost employment and cut poverty by slashing government spending, launching large infrastructure projects and introducing welfare programs for Mexico's poorest.


But he has lost his lead in opinion polls in recent weeks to Calderon, who portrays Lopez Obrador as a dangerous populist in the same mold of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

Calderon criticized the planned National Guard deployment, which he said would increase risks for immigrants and push them further into the hands of people traffickers.

Fox's government has long pushed for U.S. immigration reforms to allow more Mexicans to work in the United States.

(Additional reporting by Kieran Murray)

http://today.reuters.com/news/newsartic ... ticlePage1


And just what more can the USA do for Mexico? Haven't millions been sent there and they did nothing?

Haven't our jobs and plants been sent there , and nothing?

I tell you people, I'm really getting to the point that I don't care if we give aid to any foreign country anymore...they never use it correctly and we've allowed our business' to give our jobs to them too.......I am tired of it!

Washington also needs to help Mexico economically if it is to stem the illegal immigration which has mushroomed in recent years

apparently these people think we are the United Nations -- not a sovereign nation.

The ONLY thing Washington is authorized to do and should be doing, is providing for the American people. How many Americans have lost their jobs because Washington decided to 'export' corporate American TO Mexico?

Let's see, half of them are here suxing up our resources, and the other half is there expecting our support... Let's just take the country and their oil can pay for all the new welfare applicants.

Mexico is a pure disgrace as far as I am concerned.. They need to catch up to the train before they are left completely shameless...

We've have already spent 605 billion on social services, hospital care and public school education for their children. And how much would he like us to write out the check for? I have an idea, how bout we send them a bill for services already rendered.

DrWho and Coleary

welcome to the fight ...

I suppose the billions of dollars in remittances by Mexican ex-pats living in our country are not enough for this bozo, in addition to all the money our govt gives directly and indirectly to Mexico. Perhaps some of those 12 billionaires in Mexico should do a little more to help their own. Perhaps the govt of Mexico should change their laws to allow additional foreign investment and ownership in Mexico. I am so tired of everyone whining all the time about how "little" we do for them. Do for yourselves, people! We can fix the illegal immigration problem on our side--when we do, Mexico will have no choice but to deal with its own problems.

WE DO NOT NEED TO HELP MEXICO I think supporting 20 million is more than enough and more then We The People... can handle.

This is so infuriating

Please stop the world, I want to get off.