Mexican president-elect brings 'businesslike' attitude to the task ahead

Fox speaks with CNN Mexico City Bureau Chief Harris Whitbeck on Tuesday

July 4, 2000
Web posted at: 7:00 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT)

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From Mexico City Bureau Chief Harris Whitbeck

MEXICO CITY (CNN) -- Two days after his stunning electoral victory brought to an end 71 years of rule by the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), Mexican president-elect Vicente Fox told CNN that he plans to run a "businesslike" administration.

On Tuesday, the former Coca-Cola executive was asked by CNN Mexico City Bureau Chief Harris Whitbeck to characterize his style of government and set out the priorities for his administration.

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"First, I should say very much businesslike," Fox said. "The main problem of Mexico is development ... this growth of the economy, it's getting the jobs that we need, it's sharing the income, redistributing income."

Fox said, "We will welcome investment. We will guarantee, give security, to investment. We will put incentives to investment. We will work very intensely for regional development -- for local development -- so it is businesslike."

Bringing Mexico 'back to the rule of law'

"Number two," Fox said, "it's a strong government with serenity, with prudence, but a strong government making sure that Mexico comes back to rule of law, which is the basic principle for investment for growth and for development.

"Number three, human capital: Personally I am absolutely convinced that the only way that we are going to be competitive ... be globally successful in the 21st century, is building up human capital.

"So we will duplicate the investment in education in Mexico, and we will make sure that every single kid ... I don't care if he comes from the most humble family in all of Mexico, I will make sure that they have the opportunity to go as far as they want, in the educational project, as far as the university, because that is the only way ... we will have a successful, competitive country."

Average worker earns $5 a day

Fox said he wanted to emulate the way in which Spain, Portugal and Greece had transformed their economies in the last two or three decades and raise the standard of living in Mexico, where the average worker earns $5 a day.

Fox praised outgoing President Ernesto Zedillo of the PRI for his democratic reforms and promised to include his political rivals in his government.

"I'm inviting everybody to join in to this government of plurality," Fox said, "this government of transition, this government with an integrated program that has all the ideas of every Mexican and all political parties."

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Campaign site of Vicente Fox
PAN - National Action Party (in Spanish)
PRI (in Spanish)
Federal Electoral Institute
Internet resources on Mexican politics

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