[asia-apec 394] Jornada opinion column

[moonlight at igc.apc.org]

La Jornada Tuesday April 22, 1997 Marco Rascon                   
Translated to English by attorney Robin Yeamans, San Jose, CA

Waiting for Clinton                                                          

To Elena and Eduardo Gale                                                

In the American discussion about Mexico, Clinton represents an alternative to
those who propose in the United States to provoke a crisis in our country:
 the bailout with conditions is more effective to impose their interests.
                                                                   

Clinton comes sure because he is considered "a friend" that, at least, on two
occasions has saved us as compared to the accusations of the Congress (loans
of 50 billion dollars and certification).                          

The deferred visit of the one who bailed us out will be the opportunity so
that Zedillo, Gurria, senators and deputies of the PRI and of the PAN thank
him for his support and receive the "indignation" and posturing from Mexico
faced with the topic of drug trafficking, migration and trade.
                                                        

This will throw a smokescreen over the real content of the visit after the
happening of the decertification and certification; the American accusations
of connections between government officials and drug traffic and the entry
into force of the anti-immigrant laws.               

In the meeting of May 5, 6 and 7, the public agenda of concerns, which
Chancellor Gurria will express, will not be the central one; the central one
will be that which is prepared by Luis Tellez and Thomas McLarty, a Clinton
advisor who is found in Mexico.
                                                    

On that agenda, covered by a curtain of declarations by Foreign Relations,
will be addressed strategic topics of interest to America, more than Mexican
concerns; it is a visit to garner "support" and to revindicate the policy of
the bailout that Clinton has defended in the United States and to demonstrate
that that country has a increased influence in Mexican matters.
                                                                    

Clinton already considers Mexico part of his internal policy and comes to
consolidate that vision.                                 

Drug traffic will not be the topic of interest, since the United States
controls the flows within its own country; what is strategic in the
binational relationship is the form of the control and its connection to what
is political, economic and military.

In the case of the conditioned certification, what is fundamental are the 
conditions in order for Clinton to demonstrate to Congress that  the US earns
more by the route of certification than by decertification, since
decertification is converted into a mere act of hegemonistic insanity of
 Congress, since it does not oblige anyone to do anything.
                                                                  

On the contrary, certification means imposing conditions in exchange for    
washing consciences.                                                         

We will see Gurria tear his clothes in self-abasement (rasgarse las
vestiduras) against the decertification but accepting, as a national victory,
the certification and the conditions that it carries with it: armed DEA
agents in Mexican territory, delivery of the control of information on
flights with drug, and the integration of Mexico into an armed multinational
force.

Other points of interest for the author of the bailout (the good, in contrast
to the bad Congress) are the revitalization of the McLane-Ocampo agreements
in relationship to the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, converted again into a
strategic zone of great interest to the US both as to what is economic as
well as what is military.

But a special topic will be the bailout of Mexico toward its/his democracy
plan.                                           

Earlier arrived resources originating from the National Fund for Democracy
(NED, initials in English) directed, by agreement of the American Congress,
to encourage democracy and intended for various NGO's that are moved within
projects regarding free elections.       

Other recent resources seek to establish an active critical front against    
Cuba from Mexico, making the deliberate Clintonian transition for      
Mexico the base of a proamerican transition for Cuba.                

Clinton comes to collect the result of all these efforts that would seek to
legitimate a new majority in a Congress which is not PRI, but equally
         
defending of US interests and of the policy of integration.    

Already Ambassador James Jones has declared that a victory of the      
opposition (of the PAN, of course) would not be a problem for US-Mexico
relationships, something which would mean for Clinton more recognition after
the economic rescue:  that of the democracy in our soil, thus defeating
supporters in the United States of the creation of a crisis for change in
Mexico.          

Mr. Clinton comes to vindicate himself as mediator of the internal crisis; in
the crisis through which navigates Zedillo between the pressure of his party
and that of his rescuer.        

In this tenor, Jones prepares the agenda of interviews between Clinton and
the Mexican political parties, each one of which will have a      
different meaning.
                                                            

They will be days of coups and surprises, certainly.