MEXICO: CALDERON COURTS INVESTORS BY DISTANCING FROM LEFT.

by Diego Cevallos

MEXICO CITY, Jan. 31, 2007 (IPS/GIN) -- On his first official visit to Europe, Mexican President Felipe Caldercentsn aired his differences with left-wing Latin American governments and showed why he is a rallying figure for the Latin American right.

On his state visits to Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain, and at the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, the conservative Caldercentsn advocated full democracy, free trade and the free flow of investments. He also criticized the governments of some Latin American countries on the opposite side of the political spectrum.

Mexico shares the goal of Latin American unity, but to achieve it, "governments will have to be able to express their agreement and disagreement in a mature, respectful fashion and jointly analyze the alternatives for our peoples without resorting to personal insults," he said.

Caldercentsn addressed the issue of integration after Venezuelan President Hugo Ch vez called him a "little gentleman" and said he was following in the steps of his predecessor, Vicente Fox, also of the conservative National Action Party (PAN), whom Ch vez had called "puppy dog of the empire (the United States)."

Under the Fox administration (2000-2006), Mexico had serious diplomatic rifts with Cuba and Venezuela, and lesser spats with Argentina, Chile and Brazil. Caldercentsn promised to improve these relations, but so far no progress has been made with Caracas.

Fox's disputes with these countries were based on Mexico's position in favor of the U.S. plan for a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA), and criticisms of Cuba's human rights situation.