"According to Fox, in the United States reside about 18 million Mexicans."
 |
|
One Magnificent Region" Davis, Vicente Fox |
Fox will create a special office for immigrants.
He promises to put back on the table the vote of foreign Mexicans
Lucero Amador
Special for La Opinión (Translated by VCT)
November 11, 2000
The Mexican vote abroad will be back on the negotiation table when President elect, Vicente Fox, arrives to Los Pinos, where he plans to create a special office for immigrants.
On Thursday night, in a meeting held at the Consulado General de México in Los Angeles with leaders of different Mexican organizations, Fox offered to drive the Initiative for Constitution Reform.
"We have to reinforce and bring back the initiative [presented by PAN] so it can be considered again and give the right to vote of the people who are here", expressed the president elect.
"Another proposal which will [be] analyzed during his administration", he said, "will be the possibility that in Congress, upper and lower houses there will be representatives of the immigrants who live in this country".
There is an initiative by Partido Acción Nacional (PAN), supported by Partido de la Revolución Democrática (PRD), which was presented to Congress so Mexicans who live abroad will have the right to vote in presidential elections.
However, the majority of the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI) rejected the proposal. According to Fox, in the United States reside about 18 million Mexicans.
The latest statistics of the Instituto Federal Electoral (IFE) point out that in the US reside 10,787,000 persons who could potentially vote.
The leaders received the new Mexican president elect with enthusiasm and commented him about the themes they are more concerned: immigration, money transfers and donations, and y their participation in politics. Due to the response and compromise that Fox incurred in front of the community leaders, in many instances they applauded his projects. He assured that the vote abroad, as well as their representation before Congress, are integrated in more than one hundred proposals which will be made public next week. At the meeting Fox, was accompanied by some of the members of his transition team, such as Aguilar Zínzer, Jorge Castañeda, Juan Hernández y Martha Sahagún and also Consul General José Luis Bernal.
Central America
Fox also commented about the revision of the situation to avoid mistreatment of Central American immigrants when they pass through México. He recognized that there exists mistreatment by authorities, but restated that there will be a revision of their actions, so they receive better treatment.
"Our promise is the respect of human rights, because that way with dignity we will also demand that our immigrants are treated well".
Office at Los Pinos
The president elect announced that he will open at the official residence in Los Pinos a special office to deal with immigrants, concerns. "Besides this", he said, "another two of new creation will be established: one for Indians and the second for the disabled. "(These) three offices will be next to the President's office will be next to the office of the President of the Republic", said Fox," so we don,t forget the issue and that daily they will remind us of whatever needs to be done".
He explained that his office will be represented and directed by "the same immigrants, I don't want intermediaries nor anyone to represent them". The new president, spoke of the cooperation that he wants exist between the government and the community organizations abroad, to improve the programs which already exist and the new initiatives. President elect Vicente Fox closed the meeting inviting everyone to come and visit in Los Pinos, because we also are going to open Los Pinos to the people of México". The presidential invitation was received with a long and warm ovation.
