http://www.vheadline.com/readnews.asp?id=48912

Published: Friday, February 10, 2006
Bylined to: Carlos M. Pietri


Mexico's Fox serves only as spokesman for Washington D.C. puppet-masters

VHeadline.com commentarist Carlos M. Pietri writes: During the recent Presidential inauguration in Honduras, Mexico's President Vicemte Fox addressed the Honduran nation making a "reflective call" to the Hondurans people asking them to buy their oil from the world-recognized US market instead of from those countries (speaking of Venezuela), that propose lower prices while hiding dark interests. He emphasized that to find a country in the world that sells petroleum cheaper than another is demagogic ... because that is not possible, since the product price depends on international markets.

It seems to me that Mr. Fox has forgotten that since June (2004), Mexico's own PEMEX decided that the prices for their oil exports to US were to be decreased ... and that, to accomplish this, the respective formulae factor were adjusted.

This way, for example, the reduction applicable to the factor related to Mayan (crude) was in the order of 25 cents per barrel…

So PEMEX sells petroleum to his boss' country (USA) at a 25 cents per barrel discount on the international price…

We suppose that this, for him, is not demagoguery since it is only humanitarian aid to those impoverished North American transnationals.

Fox did not lose the opportunity to fulfill yet another order from his 'Daddy' ... which was to promote the US focused Free Trade of the Americas Agreement (FTAA), reiterating that commercial agreements continue to be favorable to the countries that adopt them, since at the end of the day it is the consumer who benefits in addition to the multiple jobs that are created... He went on to mention that commerce along the common border between USA and Mexico mobilizes about US$200 billion ... which represent more than all Latin America's collective trade.

I believe the monetary interchange could be true ... but it is also certain that the FTAA:
  • has not strengthened Mexican sovereignty, [/*:m:2rzk2mc4]
  • does not have any direct relation with the fight for democracy in Mexico (as hinted at by many of the treaty's supporters), [/*:m:2rzk2mc4]
  • has not reduced Mexican emigration to the United States, [/*:m:2rzk2mc4]
  • has not improved the Mexican economy, [/*:m:2rzk2mc4]
  • has not improved the well-being of Mexican majorities ... nor has it improved any friendship between the Mexican and American peoples. [/*:m:2rzk2mc4]

NAFTA has only benefited a few companies with minimally favorable repercussions in other sectors of Mexican society. Around 300 companies ... almost all transnationals ... are in charge of around 70% of total exports.

So ... since the implantation of NAFTA in 1994, the results have for most part been negative fot the Mexican population, albeit clear that there is (as always) one sector that has made massive profits: the big companies. Companies such as Del Monte, Nike, Fruit Of the Loom, Ford and others has strengthened their presence in Mexico and have generated a few more jobs ... but wages have not increased in Mexico. Cheap manual labor is an especially delectable business for transnational companies ... working conditions remain terrible … affecting most independent unions which are marginalized by big business. Environmental contamination has duplicated with ominous consequences for the Mexican State.

I am sure that the Hondurans are sufficiently intelligent to understand that this gentleman, Vicente Fox, is only serving as a spokesman for his Washington D.C. puppet-masters ... never representing the true vision of the Mexican people.

I am also certain they know that in economic treaties such as NAFTA, any benefits are reserved mainly to the transnational companies and only 10% of the population of the signatory country ... they never benefit the 90%, i.e. the rest of the population.
  • If, indeed, there is any impact, it is to reinforce the decline in living conditions for the workers and their families…[/*:m:2rzk2mc4]

The Mexican people are the living proof of that decline!

Carlos M. Pietri
carlos@vheadline.com