Saturday, August 14, 2010

Progressive tones from Juan Ramón de la Fuente. What office will he run for?

Juan Ramón de la Fuente, former rector of UNAM, is increasing his media protagonism these days, a sign he might finally run for elected office. Though whether it will be as Governor of Mexico State, Chief of Government of Mexico City or - why not? - the presidency remains to be seen.


De la Fuente recently expressed admiration for Obama, who a few months ago stated he wanted to refocus the "drug war" strategy toward one where drugs are principally regarded an issue of public health/ De la Fuente, former secretary of health in the government of Ernesto Zedillo (1994-2000) reiterated his preference for "prevention, education, treatment and rehabilitation," and pointedly noted that putting the subject of legalization up for discussion was a great step forward. 

De la Fuente, a surgeon, is not affiliated with the PRI nor any other party, though he is regarded as close to the social-democratic wing of the PRD. Will he be a dark-horse presidential candidate for 2012, as a "citizen candidate"? 

Mexican Secretariat of foreign relations denies Castro's claims

The news that broke yesterday where Castro confirms the complot against AMLO in 2004 gets full front-page treatment in El Universal today - indeed, it is the main story, as well as in La Jornada
The foreign relations secretariat rather vehemently rejects Castro's claims, and uses the occasion to blast Cuba for its lack of democracy - that is, to try to distract from an issue that is, when all is said and done, still quite explosive. 


The relations between Cuba and Mexico are hardly the greatest -though far from as terrible as they were under Fox' government - and this issue is only likely to worsen them. 


A good summary from La Jornada on recent history of Cuban-Mexican relations here


Mexico City Chief of Government Marcelo Ebrard, for his part, noted that Castro's declarations  confirm the 2004 conspiracy.