U.S. Hails Vote as a ‘Triumph of Democracy,’ Pledges to Enhance Relations

Reassured by Vicente Fox’s campaign pledges to keep Mexico’s economic policy anchored firmly to the United States, the Clinton administration Monday hailed the Mexican election as a “triumph of democracy” and said it looks forward to working with the new National Action Party government.

“The United States stands ready to work to enhance the close cooperation that characterizes our bilateral relationship,” President Clinton said in a statement that described the election as the “freest and fairest” in Mexican history.

From Washington’s standpoint, the most important aspect of Sunday’s voting was its demonstration that, after 71 years as a one-party state, Mexico has become a working democracy. The symbolism of Fox’s victory overshadowed the downfall of the long-ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, which had developed a close relationship with the United States in the last two decades after a half-century of reflexive anti-U.S. rhetoric.

U.S. officials are enthusiastic about Fox, a former Coca-Cola executive who is fluent in English and who promised during his campaign to continue Mexico’s cooperation with the United States in the North American Free Trade Agreement.

“We’re on the same wavelength,” a State Department official said. “The United States is satisfied with its economic relationship with Mexico. NAFTA has worked well and is the cornerstone of the economic relationship.”

Wall Street welcomed Fox’s victory with a rally in Mexico’s stocks and lower spreads for its bonds.

The administration was careful to avoid any criticism of the PRI, praising President Ernesto Zedillo’s government and crediting it with establishing the institutions that permitted its own defeat.

“Mexicans should be proud of the extraordinary steps they have taken during the last six years to strengthen and consolidate democratic institutions and set Mexico on a course of economic growth and prosperity,” Clinton said.

In recent years, the United States and Mexico have developed close cooperation on such issues as narcotics, immigration and trade. That relationship could be jeopardized if Fox makes wholesale changes in the PRI-dominated Mexican civil service.

Fox scored an overwhelming victory among voters employed in the private sector, but he ran behind PRI candidate Francisco Labastida among government employees.

“I don’t think there is any concern [in the administration] that Vicente Fox will remake the relationship,” said Peter Hakim, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, a Washington think tank. “He is a mainstream politician.”

Hakim said Fox will have to rely, at least for a while, on PRI-leaning government employees. He said it is unlikely that Fox will order a housecleaning that could upset U.S.-Mexican cooperation.

Barry R. McCaffrey, the White House drug policy chief, said he is ready to work closely with a Fox-led government.

“I had the privilege of meeting with Mr. Fox earlier this year, and he emphasized his strong commitment to confronting drug use,” McCaffrey said. “I am confident that the growing cooperation between our nations in engaging our common drug challenge will continue and strengthen. . . . The counter-drug cooperation we have built over the last few years is a foundation which transcends any particular election.”

Clinton said he telephoned Fox and Zedillo on Monday to congratulate them on the free and fair election. Other U.S. officials said Mexico’s message of democracy should have an impact on Peru, Venezuela and Haiti, countries where democratic institutions have been challenged.

But some nongovernmental experts said the election is only the first step toward remaking Mexico as a successful democracy. Other steps may prove more difficult.

“Mexicans cannot become rich overnight,” Hakim said. “Mexico won’t end its corruption overnight. It won’t get rid of the criminal violence that exists. But it is becoming more successful economically. We may begin to look at Mexico as a genuine democracy.”

Clinton invited Fox to pay an early visit to the United States. But the Mexican president-elect’s most important relationship will be with the U.S. president who succeeds Clinton on Jan. 20. The presumptive Republican and Democratic presidential candidates, Texas Gov. George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore, both welcomed Fox’s victory.