Mexico’s president faces challenges

Re “Calderon’s daunting to-do list,” Current, Dec. 3

While I share much of Jorge Casteneda’s analysis of Mexico’s new president, Felipe Calderon, I disagree with his assertion that President Vicente Fox “did not resort to the bloody repression for which most of his predecessors came to be known.”

Fox leaves office in the midst of a months-long dirty campaign against the Popular Assemblies of the People of Oaxaca, or APPO, an umbrella group of hundreds of civil society organizations. When American journalist Brad Will died in late October, Fox acted decisively and occupied Oaxaca with federal police. Federal intervention has intensified the repressive campaign against democratic media, APPO leaders and ordinary people.

A former foreign minister, Casteneda was no longer in government service during Fox’s final weeks, yet that does not excuse his disavowal of the facts.

ALTHA J. CRAVEY

Carrboro, N.C.

The writer, an associate professor of geography at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, is co-director of the documentary “People’s Guelaguetza: Oaxacans Take It to the Street.”

*

Re “Calderon’s turn,” editorial, Dec. 1

Calderon has to act boldly now or risk seeing Mexico slide into chaos and deeper class conflict. If he were to act to end the monopolies that stifle Mexico’s economy, he not only would help create a truly free market, it could also lead to many other positive effects, such as stemming the flow of illegal immigrants and improving the general economic progress of the average Mexican family.

Calderon must act, not just posture. It won’t be easy, given the entrenched and reactionary forces that he faces.

MAX BENAVIDEZ

South Pasadena

*

In these past months, there has been tremendous opposition to Calderon. The thousands of demonstrators supporting rival candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador show how he could have made a radical difference in the country. Seriously, what can one expect of Calderon if he chooses friends and party allies for Cabinet members instead of choosing the right people to fix the nation’s social and economic problems?

SILVIA MARTINEZ

ARGUMEDO

Los Angeles