PRESIDENT FOX BRIEFLY VISITS HERMOSILLO

UNCLAS HERMOSILLO 000095

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR WHA/MEX, EMBASSY MEXICO FOR POL AND MCCA DONAHUE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV ECON ELAB MX
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT FOX BRIEFLY VISITS HERMOSILLO

REF: HERMOSILLO 0082


1. (SBU) Summary: President Vicente Fox made a lightning visit
to Sonora March 4, ostensibly for ribbon cuttings on two highway
infrastructure projects in Hermosillo. Local media described
the visit as a low-key campaign stop on behalf of the National
Action Party (PAN),which it seemed to be, but provided positive
coverage. Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) Governor
Bours conspicuously escorted the President throughout his visit,
adding fuel to commentary about the degree of his estrangement
from PRI presidential candidate Madrazo. End Summary.


2. (U) During his March 4 visit to Sonora, President Fox first
cut a ribbon to commemorate the widening and repaving of the
first 30 kilometers (of 85 total to be worked on) of the
Hermosillo-Kino Bay highway, and then spoke at a second ceremony
to mark official completion of modernization of a section of
Hermosillo's Periferico Oriente beltway. Governor Eduardo
Bours, a member of the PRI, and Maria Dolores Del Rio, the PAN
Mayor of Hermosillo, met Fox at the airport and accompanied him
to all events.


3. (SBU) The President showed up 40 minutes early to the first
ribbon cutting, reportedly a (successful) tactic to avoid
demonstrations that had been announced by the union representing
the Pasta de Conchos mine, Coahuila, where 65 miners died the
previous week. At a second event set in a juncture of the
Periferico Oriente, with the Principal Officer among the 250
person audience and a large press contingent in attendance, Fox
was introduced very warmly by Mayor del Rio, who thanked him for
bringing resources to the city. Governor Bours also gave a
friendly introduction, noting that Sonora had enjoyed good
collaboration from the President on infrastructure funding from
Mexico City.


4. (SBU) A passing sound truck briefly blared some of the
miners' complaints about non-enforcement of labor safely rules,
and two students from the University of Sonora (UNISON) with
banners silently protested the lack of internal UNISON democracy
in choosing the head of the law school, but the ceremony was
effectively cordoned off to make any disruptive protest
impossible.


5. (U) President Fox's speech had a short opening section
directed to the local audience. He said that of the 239 million
peso total cost for the infrastructure work, 105 million came
from the Federal government, 105 million from Sonora state
funding, and 12 million from city funds. He thanked the
Governor and Mayor for their hospitality and praised Sonora for
having the fastest rate of economic growth of all states in
Mexico, and the highest percentage of generation of new jobs
"relatively speaking." He said that the state was a model for
the country of collaboration between the three levels of
government and the private sector.


6. (U) The rest of Fox's remarks -- which took up most of his 10
minute presentation -- recounted accomplishments of his
Administration, especially major infrastructure projects around
Mexico and improved education, including greater use of
computers and better teaching of English. He predicted that the
current generation of children in school could be the last to
experience poverty. He said that there would be no "Hidalgo
year" as his Administration closes, a reference to a last
opportunity, last minute spike in corruption and embezzlement in
which some previous Mexican administrations have engaged.


7. (SBU) Comment: Governor Bours' attention to President Fox
was in part dictated by protocol but stood in sharp contrast to
his public avoidance of PRI presidential candidate Roberto
Madrazo, who was in Sonora campaigning recently (reftel),and
with whom he has differences. Questioned about possible
implications of his relatively warm welcome of Fox, Bours denied
that he had any intention of supporting Felipe Calderon, the PAN
candidate. President Fox did not specifically mention Calderon
or the upcoming elections in his remarks, but the local media
interpreted his visit as mainly a campaign swing to bolster the
PAN party image and help its candidate. Although the
President's handlers avoided crowds and potential protest while
in Sonora, Fox was openly charming with the press, spending
more time joking with them and answering questions than he had
on the official ceremony. He garnered generally favorable TV
coverage that night and in the local newpapers. End Comment.

CLARKE