The Foreign Service Journal, April 2006

A former mayor of Mexico City, Lopez Obrador sees the country’s foreign policy through the prism of domestic politics and in very traditional terms: “The foreign policy we propose should be based on the strengthening of domestic policy, cautious diplomacy and respect for the principles of self-determination, non-intervention, peace- ful solution of conflicts, abolition of the threat or use of force in international relations, equality of states, interna- tional cooperation for development and the fight for inter- national peace and security.” Lopez Obrador, like Institutional Revolutionary Party candidate Roberto Madrazo (see next section), hails from Tabasco. The two presidential contenders, between whom no love is lost, have a long history. Both men made their careers in the PRI until Lopez Obrador left in 1989 to join the PRD, where he quickly rose to the top, thwart- ing what would have been the fourth presidential bid of the party’s founder and “moral leader,” Cuauhtemoc Cardenas Solorzano. But in doing so, he has created ene- mies within a party whose factions have traditionally demonstrated a willingness to go for each others’ jugulars instead of closing ranks to fight the election. Nor would a President Lopez Obrador have a large enough pool of experienced, qualified professionals with- in the PRD on which to draw. (Former President Miguel de la Madrid reportedly said in 1982 that, at a minimum, he needed 2,000 people he could trust in order to know what was going on in the government.) He would have to move outside his circle of loyalists to fill the key positions of government: for a man reputed to place more empha- sis on personal loyalty than any other characteristic, that situation might be uncomfortable. Like Vicente Fox, Lopez Obrador has a reputation of speaking out on issues before analyzing the implications of what he says. If he were to decide that he did not approve of the way that Foreign Ministry bureaucrats were con- ducting some aspect of the relationship with Washington, it is quite conceivable that he would announce a different, not necessarily coherent policy on the spot. Under a Lopez Obrador presidency, Mexican foreign F O C U S A P R I L 2 0 0 6 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 43 SERVING THOSE WHO SERVE AMERICA S I NCE 1 9 7 1 2006 represents our 36 th year helping to maintain America’s fleet of vehicles throughout the world. All of us at D & M consider it an honor to have worked with all of you through these years. We are aware of the importance of your official and private vehicles, forklifts, generators, tools and equipment. We look forward to continuing this service in a professional manner. We are here to help, just ask! Gary Vlahov www.dmauto.com (516) 822-6662; FAX: (516) 822-5020; E-mail: info@dmauto.com