Mexico's Cemex May Sell Two U.S. Plants to Brazil

Forbes ^ | 11.15.2004 | Associated Press

[1rudeboy]

Look! You fools, you’re in danger! Can’t you see? The free-traders are after our cement!
They’re after all of it! Our wives, our children, will have to live without!
They’re here already, and posting at FR! You’re next!

[hedgetrimmer]

There is probably a much more interesting story if you look into the relationship of CEMEX and the BLM.

*****

Alternative sites to a gigantic sand and gravel mine in Soledad Canyon are being explored in the San Bernardino area as Santa Clarita city officials Thursday reported some progress in their talks with the firm that owns the rights to mine the canyon.

The mine proposed for Soledad Canyon would be the largest aggregate mine in the history of the world, said Rep. Howard “Buck” McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, during a Thursday community meeting held at the Sports Complex.

“This is a gold mine,” he said. “It just happens it’s in a bad area for us.”
McKeon said a consultant has been retained to help the two sides reach an agreement. A city official said the city was not paying for the consultant.

“They will try to come up with an amicable solution for the community that (Perez) can take to his stockholders,” McKeon said. “If they do (bring a solution to me), my job is to get it passed in the House and the Senate and signed by the president. We can’t start working on the bill until they get an agreement. It would be too easy to kill. Other interests don’t want it passed.”

Those “other interests” represent fellow congressmen who don’t want to see the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s authority eroded.

The BLM issued leases to Cemex’s predecessor. Los Angeles County challenged permits to mine there but later backed off.

The city joined the fray a bit late but with vehemence, saying the mine would result in gross air pollution in Canyon Country, jam state Route 14 with truck traffic and pose traffic hazards on local streets.


Santa Clarita city officials are holding out the hope that a land swap would result in minimal mining in Soledad Canyon in exchange for unchallenged mining rights somewhere less populated.

Bedrosian said Thursday that the BLM has been asked about its holdings in California and elsewhere in the country, as far away as Florida.

Among the areas that were subject to inquiry was Rep. Jerry Lewis’ Inland Empire district, a desert area of Southern California where much aggregate has already been mined.

Lewis, R-San Bernardino, was alerted by McKeon that a potential Cemex site might find its way into his district, said Jim Specht, Lewis’ spokesman.

In McKeon’s vast district, the largest potential aggregate mining site would yield only a small fraction of the aggregate that could be taken from the Soledad Canyon site.

McKeon denounced the BLM for foisting the open-pit mining operation on Santa Clarita. The agency’s contract with the former owner of the property — Transit Mixed Concrete — was “not on our radar scope” in 1990, he said.

The government has a right to do what it wants to do on its property — a practice called federal pre-emption. The BLM cannot administratively change the leases. The only way the status of the leases can be changed is if Cemex gives them back to the BLM or if a law is passed by Congress that modifies the term, or terminates the leases, said Michael Murphy, Santa Clarita’s intergovernmental relations officer.

http://www.the-signal.com/News/ViewStory.asp?storyID=5577

[hedgetrimmer]

Inocencio Cruz used to imagine building a home in Mexico would be a family affair -- send money to his parents and rely on them to buy the supplies and oversee the work.

But with the help of Construmex, a cross-border contractor, immigrants such as 22-year-old Cruz are able to buy the construction materials they need to build homes in Mexico. "I do everything from here," he said in Chicago recently, still a little amazed. "All my parents have to do is talk on the phone and all the materials arrive."

Although the Mexican economy long has benefited from remittances sent from north of the border, that wealth often vanishes to meet daily expenses such as food, medicine and school tuition.

But lately the Mexican government has tried to channel more of that infusion from the United States -- $13.3 billion in 2003 -- toward the new home market in an effort to avert a looming housing crisis.

Immigrant wealth could help start the needed building binge, Mexican officials say.

Construmex runs a simple cash-for-concrete business model. "When our clients make a payment, we guarantee delivery of their materials," Solorio said. "They organize the actual building."

The firm takes the uncertainty out of the equation by guaranteeing all needed construction supplies will be available. The company charges a $1 fee for each payment but turns a profit on the sale of building materials that come from parent company Cemex, Mexico's largest manufacturer of cement.

http://www.freep.com/realestate/renews/mexico22e_20041022.htm

[hedgetrimmer]

Thinking about the necessity that the Mexicans been in the United States must to construct fast and economically their houses in Mexico, we created Construmex.


The objective of this initiative is to help to canalize the originating shipments of money of that country, to ours, destined to the acquisition of materials for construction. The service works through a branch that allows to orient and to order the necessities of materials, with the guarantee of its delivery in the Mexican territory.

At the moment it is counted on nine branches in the United States, located in the cities of Ash, the Angels, Santa Ana and Lynwood, Huntington Park and San Fernando in California; an office in Chicago Illinois and two in Houston Texas. Construmex offers information of the more than 2 thousand distributors of construction equipments in Mexico, certificates and recommended by CEMEX, thus covering all the national territory.


http://tools.search.yahoo.com/language/translation/translatedPage.php?tt=url&text=http%3a//www.construmex.com/&lp=es_en&.intl=us

[hedgetrimmer]

Remember public/private partnerships were utilized by Mussolini to prop up his fascistic government.

Please note that USAID is a form of welfare for "least developed countries" (United Nations terminology)

Also note, that American taxpayers are funding Mexico's economic expansion, making most of the major investment, until the hand-selected "private partners" can come in and take the profits off of US taxpayer investments.
***

The historic signing of an agreement which will enable the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) to offer a full-range of financial and risk insurance services to U.S. firms doing business in Mexico. The agreement must be approved by the Mexican Senate.


The U.S. and Mexico agreed to explore development of a Peace Corps program in Mexico that would bring volunteers in the high-tech sector to work with Mexico's National Council on Science and Technology (CONACYT) on small business development, science and technology and science and development.

U.S. Bank and the Mexican savings bank BANSEFI announced a new low-cost service to transfer funds from the U.S. to the most rural communities in Mexico for as low as six dollars per transfer through a commercial banking alliance known as The People's Network (L@ Red de la Gente.)

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency announced plans to provide $1.38 million in assistance for feasibility studies for infrastructure projects in Mexico, including the expansion of the Ciudad Obregon airport, development of Mexico's Intelligent Transportation Systems Architecture project and support for Mexico's Federal Competition Commission.

The U.S. Federal Reserve Bank and the Bank of Mexico announced the establishment of an automated clearinghouse for crossborder financial transactions. The International Electronic Funds Transfer System (TEFI) will reduce the cost of financial transactions to less than one dollar.
Mexico's National Council on Science and Technology (CONACYT) signed agreements with Arizona, Iowa State, and Georgetown Universities and the University of Texas at El Paso to provide scholarship opportunities for Mexican students, exchange programs for professors and researchers and collaboration for joint research and promotion programs.

The University of California announced plans to open Casa California – a branch campus in Mexico.

The U.S. and Mexico announced plans to launch the “Good Partner Award” to recognize the contribution of the private sector in advancing social and economic development in Mexico. Nominations will be accepted until September 30, 2003.

Georgetown University and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced plans to provide training in Mexico and to develop a cadre of technically trained business leaders in the agriculture and export sectors.
USAID and Aid to Artisans announced plans to promote use of lead-free glazes on Mexican ceramic handicrafts.

USAID announced plans to add partnerships between U.S. and Mexican universities under the Training, Internships, Exchanges and Scholarships (TIES) initiative, a $50 million, eight-year public-private alliance for higher education.

The U.S. National Institute of Health's Fogarty International Center and CONACYT announced plans to strengthen cooperation and research in biomedical sciences, infectious diseases, AIDS/HIV and maternal/infant health.
The U.S. Small Business Administration, Mexico's Economic Secretariat and National Financing Agency signed an agreement to work together to develop stronger commercial ties to spur increased trade between small businesses.·

The U.S. Council on Competitiveness launched a partnership with their Mexican counterpart organization, the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness, to cooperate on competitiveness and foster regional economic development.

· CONACYT and PROVAGUA announced a project to increase rainfall in the Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico, and the Laredo, Texas, border region.



The Partnership talks also highlighted the role of corporate citizenship and responsibility in the communities in which they operate including:
A project by AOL Time Warner and the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children to establish a missing and exploited children's center in Mexico.
An initiative by Merck, Inc. to train Mexican scientists and to contribute to an agenda for innovation through policy dialogues between Mexican and U.S. leaders in partnership with the National Institute of Genomic Medicine, the Foundation for the Americas, and the U.S. Council on Competitiveness.
A donation of $250,000 over two years by Western Union to the Instituto para el Desarrollo de la Mixteca, a non-profit economic development program in Mexico's Mixteca region.
A GE project, with Mexico City's Museum of Technology, to develop an interactive exhibition designed to improve science education. Called Reto GE (GE Challenge), its objective is to encourage students to regard technology as an area of scholarly curiosity and long-term interest.
A program by CEMEX designed to: (1) improve health conditions among poorer families by providing an anti-bacterial product to reduce gastrointestinal and dermatological illnesses; and (2) enable low-income families the opportunity to buy higher-quality construction materials and receive professional technical assistance in homebuilding.
A fundraising effort led by COMEX for construction of housing for low-income families. The houses will have access to municipal services, including water, sewers, and electricity. Funds will be raised from private donors and all the proceeds will be invested.


The unique public-private Partnership for Prosperity initiative was launched by U.S. President George W. Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox in September 2001 to target economic development in the areas of Mexico which generate the most emigrants based on the premise that no Mexican should feel compelled to leave his home for lack of economic opportunity.

More information is available at the Office for Economic Affairs at the Mexican Embassy or in the website: www.p4pworks.org.

[hedgetrimmer]

Cemex can deliver a higher quality product to Mexico, if it is produced in the US. Cemex is partnering with the United States government, with money guaranteed by that taxpayer supported guarantee against bad business investments, OPIC.

CEMEX and US officials in Congress and the BLM may have a very corrupt relationship going in order to build infrastrucutre down in Mexico, as required by the NAFTA trade agreements in accordance with WTO directives for capacity building and infrastructure developments.

American citzens who blindly support these "free trade" agreements that use tax dollars to create an environment out of country that multinational corporations can step in and take the profit are just plain wrong.

[B4Ranch]

>>The University of California announced plans to open Casa California – a branch campus in Mexico.<<

Your tax dollars with the approval of the NEA!!

[hedgetrimmer]

Its called la mordida-- the bite. To do business in Mexico you have to give them something. Our government is propping up this corrupt system with their public/private partnerships-- just another manifestation of la mordida.

[1rudeboy]

Cemex is partnering with the United States government, with money guaranteed by that taxpayer supported guarantee against bad business investments, OPIC.

Cemex is a Mexican company. OPIC is for American companies. And where is this "partnership?" I don't see it.

In terms of corruption, furthermore, Cemex is relatively clean. Are you sure you're not confusing it with Pemex, which is relatively dirty?

[hedgetrimmer]

The United States has created a very privileged class down in Mexico. Here is a joint US Mexico statement on US plans to invest taxpayer dollars in Mexico.

Our governments has pledged to :

Lowering the cost to Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in the United States of sending money home so that their families get to keep more of their hard-earned wages;

Increasing the accessibility of capital to Mexican entrepreneurs so that they can grow their businesses and create more and better jobs.

Increasing investment in housing, and the creation of a secondary mortgage market, so more Mexicans can become homeowners.

***

So by accepting the Matricular consular card as ID, illegals can now open bank accounts and do interbank transfers of money to Mexico instead of wiring it.

This program requires the flouting of US laws that make it illegal to abet illegal aliens in this country.

How does the US government increase accessiblity of loans to Mexican entrepreneurs? Using our tax money thats how.

Finally, the plan to increase investment in housing is directly related to this article. Our government, BLM, is granting accessiblity to US natural resources that they do not allow citizen owned companies to CEMEX. In turn, CEMEX is exporting this product for sale to Mexicans in Mexico. In a government private partnership, CEMEX has set up a loan system in this country for homebuilding for otherwise unqualified illegal alien homebuyers. OPIC is part of this whole grand scheme.

[hedgetrimmer]

Also, "on April 27, the Mexican Senate ratified an agreement between the government of Mexico and the U.S. Overseas Private Investment Corporation (or OPIC)," Alan Larson of the U.S. State Department pointed out. "Through this agreement, which was signed at the P4P Workshop in San Francisco last year, OPIC can for the first time offer all of its programs and services to provide investment support in Mexico, up to $250 million per project. Initially, OPIC intends to focus on projects in education, municipal infrastructure, environment and housing."

While much has been accomplished, we dare not be complacent for at least two reasons," Larson cautioned. "First, there are many small towns and rural areas throughout central and southern Mexico which have not yet been touched by our efforts.

Private-sector investment, corporate citizenship, and interaction between the public and private sectors all play "integral roles" in helping to advance social and economic development in underserved regions of Mexico, Larson concluded. He applauded the contributions of "people who care about creating economic opportunities for the average Mexican,"

***

Let's see, the free traders say its not the duty of the government to make jobs for Americans, yet here is a state deparment employee in an official state department announcement that it is the duty of our government to create jobs in Mexico for Mexican citizens. This is unabashed socialism of the global kind-- and is exactly the fundamental purpose of the WTO's "free trade".
***
"I look forward to working with you as we continue our efforts to fulfill the aspirations of our presidents and our citizens -- for commerce, jobs, education, and opportunity in a prosperous future."
**

An employee of the US state deparment is working to fulfill the aspirations of the president of a foreign country. How terrific.

http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2004&m=June&x=20040629170556GLnesnoM0.9142877&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html

[MissAmericanPie]

Did they actually sign that abomination?

[hedgetrimmer]

If you've read posts about the UN, you might be interested in this:

Partnership for Prosperity appears to be a UN Action plan, and the above posts demostrate the UN authority over our US government as all of the items in the action plan are now policies that the US taxpayer is funding for Mexico.

***
The Partnership for Prosperity representatives of both the U.S. and Mexican government presented this report at the United Nations Financing for Development conference that took place from March 18-22, 2002 in Monterrey, Mexico. The Partnership proposes to leverage private resources to achieve economic development goals.

The Action Plan for the U.S.-Mexico Partnership for Prosperity outlines a number of the steps that the two countries may pursue in order to increase economic and labor opportunities in less developed areas of Mexico.

http://www.mexico-trade.com/JUNE2002/page4.html

[hedgetrimmer]

Here is how US money is used to put American citizens out of work.

Spending US taxpayer dollars in Mexico, where labor, land and regulations do not have such an impact on cost the UN approved U.S.-MEXICO PARTNERSHIP ACTION PLAN will use the US department of Agriculture to

" match producers with agribusiness firms and retailers to encourage direct commercialization of Mexican products in the U.S. "

In other words set up an unfair competition for US producers by Mexican producers paid for by American citizens.

And here is how the software industry was established in India, again US taxpayer dollars with the approval of the United Nations, is going to Mexico to

"foster the creation of software parks and factories. The U.S. will contribute by facilitating private-sector contacts."

In other words, US taxpayer dollars will build r&d parks in Mexico so companies can abandon US workers for a subsidized workforce in Mexico.

Finally, what is this all about?

"The U.S. Department of Labor will continue to assist Mexico's Labor Secretariat in the ongoing development of an internet-based job and talent databank that will be used at employment service centers in Mexico.
"
http://www.mexico-trade.com/JUNE2002/

[MissAmericanPie]

Yeah but, Bush is all for this stuff. He understands that inside every human being in every nation is an American just waiting to get out and he must represent them.

We must be getting something in return, something big.

[hedgetrimmer]

Yes we are getting some big things out of it. A big big deficit. Big big taxes. Big big problems with our own infrastructure, since we are not spending our money to keep it up. Big big government. Big big UN influence over us because they control the dialog on infrastructure development and capacity building through their action plans resulting in big big influence of foreign countries over Americans.

[uglybiker]

Cemex can deliver a higher quality product to Mexico, if it is produced in the US.

Unless that plant is located right on the border, the transportation costs would mitigate any quality benefits. Plants south of the border can make good product when they want to. I know. It's my job to analyze the stuff.

[hedgetrimmer]

You're right its regional. According to the article, CEMEX finds buyers in the US-- they purchase it here for delivery in Mexico.

[AuntB]

As far as I know it was signed by both governments. I can't remember if there is a congressional oversight period, haven't heard of any. I need to go back and read the pdf file. I dislike pdf files.:<)I'll ping you with a link when I find them.

Hey, Lou Dobbs is worth watching (all I get is CNN!) Tonight Rumsfeld said we HAVE to protect our borders. He seemed rather shocked that we weren't. He also said people all over the world know our southern border is pourous and they will come through it.
I'm going to see if the transcript is up yet.

[MissAmericanPie]

He seemed shocked that we are not protecting our borders? No way.