Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Mexico Leaves Castro's Cuba Behind
Los Angeles Times ^ | April 9, 2002 | Denise Dresser

Posted on 04/11/2002 3:00:43 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife

Edited on 09/03/2002 4:50:16 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

Once upon a time, Mexico and Cuba were best buddies in the Western Hemisphere. Brandishing the banners of nonintervention and self-determination, both countries provided each other with unconditional support and kept quiet about their mutual lack of democratic development. Those days are over, and today relations between Cuba and Mexico are at an all-time low, for all the right reasons. Mexico's foreign policy toward Cuba is changing, and Fidel Castro is furious about it.


(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Foreign Affairs; Government; Mexico; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: castrowatch; latinamericalist; vicentefox
Mexican Senate rejects Fox's travel plans to U.S. and Canada** Lawmakers also said the action was due to the Fox administration's "confusing" policy regarding Cuba.**
1 posted on 04/11/2002 3:00:43 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
The hornet's nests to our south, mexico, venzuela, columbia and cuba... are all astir????

I wonder why?

2 posted on 04/11/2002 3:38:31 AM PDT by Robert_Paulson2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
The hornet's nests to our south, mexico, venzuela, columbia and cuba... are all astir????

I wonder why?

It won't surprise me if the falkland islands erupt this week as well... China and the old commie network are really busy...

3 posted on 04/11/2002 3:39:25 AM PDT by Robert_Paulson2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Robert_Paulson2
I image the Bush administration has both ears to the ground in the Western Hemisphere.
4 posted on 04/11/2002 3:56:09 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Robert_Paulson2
I wonder why?

Terrorists and their supporters have been put on notice.

5 posted on 04/11/2002 3:57:16 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
"The Mexican left-wing intelligentsia ...

These people are a real plague, and along with their corrupt left-wing political allies, have effectively blocked change in Mexico for years. Fox has made a surprising amount of progress, although it may appear pretty modest to anyone outside of Mexico. Hope he keeps it up!

6 posted on 04/11/2002 4:18:15 AM PDT by livius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
The article says, "It makes sense for Mexico's President Vicente Fox to meet with Cuban dissidents and recognize that they exist." This article styles his opposition "leftist"--but they were the Establishment in Mexico, even more so than the journalists/"intellectuals"/plaintiff lawyers/liberal politicans are here.

This, from the LA Times?

The salient point is that for the first time Mexico has a president who was selected by a really competitive election and not a pro forma Potemkin affair. A necessary--but all-too-clearly not sufficient--condition for having a rights-respecting government . . .

7 posted on 04/11/2002 4:48:01 AM PDT by conservatism_IS_compassion
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: livius
Fox has made a surprising amount of progress, although it may appear pretty modest to anyone outside of Mexico. Hope he keeps it up!

Excellent point.

8 posted on 04/11/2002 5:20:19 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: conservatism_IS_compassion
The salient point is that for the first time Mexico has a president who was selected by a really competitive election and not a pro forma Potemkin affair. A necessary--but all-too-clearly not sufficient--condition for having a rights-respecting government . . .

More excellent points.

9 posted on 04/11/2002 5:21:39 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: livius
Fox has made a surprising amount of progress, although it may appear pretty modest to anyone outside of Mexico.

It does seem pretty modest if you live just outside of Mexico. I don't see any of his citizens returning to their country, they seem to be coming over to the US faster than ever. There are still girls being murdered in Juarez, the drug cartels are still fighting over who dominates so we see executions on a weekly basis. 10-20 years ago, it was safe to travel in Mexico and it isn't now.

10 posted on 04/11/2002 5:39:46 AM PDT by FITZ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: FITZ
Fox's work has been mostly at the top, attempting to restructure and redirect government objectives. He would clearly like to have a strong, functioning economy that keeps Mexicans in their own country and gives them a decent life there. But I think it's going to take a long time for this to happen, or for Fox's policies to have much effect on the average Mexican.
11 posted on 04/11/2002 5:59:13 AM PDT by livius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: *Latin_America_list;*Castro Watch
Check the Bump List folders for articles related to and descriptions of the above topic(s) or for other topics of interest.
12 posted on 04/11/2002 6:02:40 AM PDT by Free the USA
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: livius
He might ---but he doesn't have a long time, the average Mexican has to notice something, or the next elections aren't going to go well. All the people leaving is adding to the instability ----when people aren't planning to stay, they don't work to improve things, they don't invest in their communities. There are small towns which have half their former residents --and nothing improved because of that.

Fox is trying I think but he's up against an awful lot and the people aren't very patient.

13 posted on 04/11/2002 6:09:26 AM PDT by FITZ
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Robert_Paulson2
It won't surprise me if the falkland islands erupt this week as well... China and the old commie network are really busy...

The "Falkland Islands?" LAS MALVINAS SON ARGENTINA!

14 posted on 04/11/2002 6:34:39 AM PDT by Clemenza
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: FITZ
There are small towns which have half their former residents --and nothing improved because of that.

Correct. When I took a bus ride from Monterrey to Zacatecas back in December of 2000, I was struck by all the abandoned villages along the highway.

15 posted on 04/11/2002 6:36:30 AM PDT by Clemenza
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Cincinatus' Wife
Am I dreaming?
This piece is in the LA Times?
16 posted on 04/11/2002 7:06:40 AM PDT by T. Buzzard Trueblood
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FITZ; Clemenza; T. Buzzard Trueblood; dqban22; All
Boston Globe- Police chief, 120 officers arrested in Mexico raid - By Arturo Salinas, AP (4/11/2002) [Full Text] TIJUANA, Mexico - The Tijuana police chief and about 120 other state and city law enforcement officers from two Baja California border cities were arrested yesterday, the state governor's office said.

The surprise operation appeared to be part of President Vicente Fox's crackdown on drug smuggling and police corruption. The federal attorney general's office did not return phone calls seeking comment.

Army and federal police raided the state police academy in Tecate, about 65 miles east of Tijuana, where officers were holding a meeting on their licenses to carry arms. The police were ordered to turn over their weapons and credentials and placed under arrest, said Governor Eugenio Elorduy of Baja California. It was unclear what charges the officers faced.

''The important thing here is that those with responsibility are committed to combatting corruption,'' Elorduy said. ''We know that we have to fight impunity because we know that it occurs within state offices.''

After they were questioned, the detainees were taken to Tijuana and loaded onto three planes to Mexico City.

Carlos Otal, the Tijuana chief, and his two bodyguards were rounded up in the sweep, said Martin Dominguez, Tijuana's public security secretary.

The arrests came a day after the UN investigator into judicial independence, Param Cumaraswamy, said corruption in the Mexican legal system ''continued unabated'' despite attempts at reform.

Fox's administration has made several major arrests in the last few months, including two stunning blows to the most feared drug gang in Mexico. Benjamin Arellano Felix was arrested March 9. His brother Ramon, who was on the FBI's 10 most-wanted list, was killed by police on Feb. 10.

A few days after Arellano Felix's detention, officials announced the arrest of Manuel Herrera Barraza, allegedly the brothers' principal smuggler of marijuana and cocaine into the western United States.

Last week outside Tecate, authorities dismantled a secret, 1,000-foot tunnel under the US-Mexico border that was believed used by the gang to ship tons of cocaine and marijuana into California for more than a decade.

Mexican police have often cooperated and even worked for drug smugglers. In September, the former police chief in Mexicali, just east of Tecate, was jailed for allegedly warning the Arellano Felix gang of police operations. [End]

17 posted on 04/11/2002 7:23:58 AM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: FITZ
On the CNN crawl last night, there was a blurb that the Mexican national police arrested 120 Tijuana local police for drug running. I think that is progress.
18 posted on 04/11/2002 7:24:09 AM PDT by staytrue
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: John Robinson
Youse is got mail . . .
19 posted on 04/11/2002 7:30:38 AM PDT by conservatism_IS_compassion
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson