Mexico leftists reject offers of cabinet jobs

Fox, shown here at Washington's National Press Club in August, had hoped to build bridges in a divided Congress with cabinet appointments

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (Reuters) -- Mexico's President-elect Vicente Fox offered cabinet posts in his new government to leaders of the country's top left-wing party but the offer was turned down, local media reported on Wednesday.

In an apparent bid to build bridges to a party whose support Fox will need in Mexico's divided Congress, the president-elect proposed members of the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) take second-tier cabinet jobs in his administration that takes office December 1, newspapers reported.

Quoting top Fox political aide Santiago Creel, Reforma and El Universal dailies said members of the PRD were offered the ministries of environment, social development and comptroller general.

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But after weighing the offer PRD leaders rejected the posts, saying they were not ready to sign on to Fox's economic, social and fiscal policies, the papers reported.

The president-elect, of the conservative National Action Party (PAN), will become the first Mexican president in 71 years not a member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI).

None of the three leading parties has a working majority in Congress and Fox will need opposition-party support to pass proposed reforms to the country's tax system and energy sector.

Fox aides this week said the president-elect will likely name his cabinet between November 22 and 27.

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