The Politics of Poverty in Mexico
As your March 19 report (“Mayor Polishes Political Images”) says, President Vicente Fox and his conservative allies may bar Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the popular reform mayor of Mexico City, from seeking the presidency in 2006. This makes a mockery of Mexican democracy.
Fox is playing with fire, for all is not well in Mexico. Inequality is rampant. One Mexican is the fourth-richest man in the world, and 11 others are among the wealthiest. Yet half of the country’s inhabitants live in poverty and some, calling hovels home, daily go hungry. Others are jobless, and social protests are commonplace.
Lopez Obrador is popular because he offers a glimmer of hope to Mexicans disenchanted with Fox, fed up with neoliberal dogmas and fearful of a return to power of the PRI.
Ramon Eduardo Ruiz
Professor Emeritus
UC San Diego
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