This is a rough translation of an article that appeared in the Spanish-language newspaper La Opinión.
November 10, 2000
Fox receives MALDEF's applause
In a lightning visit he speaks at the anniversary of the organization which defends the rights of Latinos.
Carlos Ferreyra and Hilda Marella Delgado
La Opinión
He was applauded, praised and, without a doubt, Fox was the man of the night in the twenty-sixth anniversary dinner of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF).
Mario Obledo - co-founder of MALDEF - June, 1998
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The black, long tablecloths, with golden flowers and ornaments, were the frame of the ceremony which commemorated one more anniversary for this organization, that for 31 years has worked for the defense of Latinos all over the country.
The man of the night was Vicente Fox, president elect of México, who is making his third visit to the United States since his Partido de Acción Nacional (PAN) defeated the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI). Fox arrived around six p.m. and was met at the airport by governor Gray Davis in a limousine. They then traveled to a hotel in downtown Los Angeles, where the California governor introduced him his wife Sharon, in Spanish. At the hotel, Fox met behind closed doors with 150 people, among them lieutenant governor Cruz Bustamante, and he spoke with several local assemblymen.
Antonia Hernández, leader of MALDEF, wearing ostrich skin cowboy booths, tried to maintain order after the commotion caused by the arrival of Fox to this event. Gloria Molina, Los Angeles county supervisor and president of the MALDEF board, said that she hopes that the relations between México and the Unites States improve.
Richard Riordan, Los Angeles mayor, spoke in Spanish and welcomed Fox in English, and said that the friendship between the two peoples is widening, and transcends generations.
1,500 people, paid between two thousand and 50 thousands dollars to attend this dinner. MALDEF was planning to raise al least half a million dollars for its organization, to continue the legal defense for the community. Antonia Hernández said that the relations with México are very important, due to the border that is shared with the neighbor in the South.
Governor Davis praised the work of MALDEF and announced that today he will meet Fox to talk about the commercial opportunities between both countries. He reminded that he signed a law establishing medical insurance in both sides of the border, and added that he also signed César Chávez Day Celebration.
Governor Davis remembered Benito Juárez and quoted his phrase: "The respect of the rights of others, leads to peace," and he wished the best to Vicente Fox. Davis also mentioned the bad relations which existed with México before, and all the efforts his administration is making for the academic and economic exchange to improve them now.
"We have progressed. In two years we have improved things in the border, in investments; now México is our main commercial partner, with a exchange of almost $16 billion dollars."
The meeting received criticism, because the media did not have direct access to the president elect of México.
But several Mexican groups of Southern California think Fox totally ignored his countrymen's problems during his lightning visit to Los Angeles.
