MEXICO: Fence could harm U.S.-Mexico relations

Mexicans expressed their concern on Saturday (September 30) about the hundreds of miles of new fences to be built along the U.S.-Mexico border. The controversial wall would be funded under a bill passed on Friday (September 29) in the U.S. House of Representatives as part of an election-year clamp-down on illegal immigration. Journalists from several countries gathered at the 62nd Assembly of the Inter American Press Association in Mexico City and expressed their rejection to the fencing as well as their doubts about how the measure could actually contribute to U.S.-Mexico bilateral relations. "It's going to be negative for both countries, not only for Mexico. Migration towards better opportunities has always been a Mexican need, true, but in this case I believe the United States will also lose. Many think, and I agree, that the U.S. should instead open up much more to the outside world, that they should understand the rest of the world much better so they could promote harmony and lessen mistrust between nations," said Heriberto Cantu, reporter with "El Mañana" from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. The president of Miami-based outlet "Grafico Internacional", German Acevedo doesn't think that the fence is a solution. "That frontier has been open forever, all the time, and we haven't found any conclusion that any terrorist will go through it. Of course there are many Mexicans, Central American and even Caribbean people that go through that frontier. But they are looking for bettering their lives, they are looking for jobs, they are looking to contribute for the United States society, not to destroy it," Acevedo said. According to other Assembly assistants, the decision is even typical of much different world contexts. "I think that the Bush administration and Bush himself have forgotten that the Cold War is over. Secondly, this kind of solutions, the border fencing in this case, don't contribute at all to the strengthening of the U.S.-Latinamerican relations," said Peruvian journalist Ivan Garcia, with "Frecuencia Latina Canal 2". On the streets of Mexico city, locals reacted too with disappointment. "Truthfully, I think it's absurd because in any event they (Mexican migrants) are going to keep on crossing. I'd find much more adequate that they (U.S.) would favor a treaty or a law instead of a wall, so that Mexicans could cross the border for working purposes. Ultimately what they are doing is contributing to the U.S. economy, right?", said Mexican citizen Esther Parada. On Friday (September 29) the Mexican Minister of the exterior told the media that the U.S. decision was not a failure for the foreign policy of the Government of Vicente Fox, answering accusations. Bilateral relations between the neighbouring countries could be deeply damaged by this attempt to stop millions from illegally crossing the border.

ITN Source | October 1, 2006

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