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FACTBOX-Mexico's Calderon: his policies on major issues

01 Dec 2006 17:16:04 GMT
Source: Reuters

Dec 1 (Reuters) - Mexican conservative Felipe Calderon took office as president on Friday despite protests from leftists who say July's election was rigged and had vowed to block him from taking office.

Here is a summary of Calderon's main policy plans.

ECONOMY

* Pro-business and pro-foreign investment. Plans to stick to the cautious fiscal policies of former president Vicente Fox. He named conservative economist Agustin Carstens, a former International Monetary Fund official, as finance minister.

* Expected to try to push tax, labor and energy reforms through opposition-dominated Congress but will need support from centrist lawmakers.

* Wants to boost economic growth by building more highways and roads across Mexico and making tourism a priority.

* Proposes a lower and flat-rate income tax, with no income tax for low-paid workers. Tax benefits to employers who hire workers between the ages of 16 and 28.

* Plans to extend Fox's popular policy of giving low-income families access to mortgages with a joint venture between the government, business and labor groups.

CRIME AND SECURITY

* Vows tough measures to combat crime, to clean up, better train and better recruit police forces, to modernize the justice system.

* Calderon appointed Francisco Ramirez Acuna, a conservative with a tough reputation, as his interior minister. He is expected to be firm on ending months of violent street protests in the southern state of Oaxaca.

* Promises a crackdown on drug trafficking and organized crime, but drug violence has soared in the last two years.

* Named Eduardo Medina as attorney general, a former public security minister and an experienced crime-fighter, to lead the battle against Mexico's ruthless drug cartels

FOREIGN POLICY

* Calderon will be a close U.S. ally in Latin America but he pledges not to be a pushover. He opposes U.S. proposals to build a border wall and deploy National Guard troops along the frontier. Says U.S. immigration reform is crucial.

* A critic of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, Calderon would likely continue Fox's policy of aggressively supporting free trade in the Americas.

* Has named little-known diplomat Patricia Espinosa as his foreign minister.

ENERGY

* Backs complementary private investment by Mexican and foreign companies in the natural gas, oil refining and petrochemicals sectors. Those proposals face fierce opposition from leftists in Congress.

* Wants state oil monopoly Pemex to form technology-sharing strategic alliances with foreign oil majors, although state to keep control. Aims to achieve self-sufficiency in natural gas.

* Calderon picked Georgina Kessel as energy minister, the first woman to head the important ministry of the oil-exporting nation. Kessel has worked at Pemex and is a former head of analysis at the energy ministry.

POVERTY

* Plans to tackle poverty by expanding public health services, especially in rural areas, and providing universal health insurance through public and private agencies, as well as improving education in poor and indigenous communities.

* Promises to extend pension schemes for the elderly and to stem illegal migration across the U.S. border through job creation in housing and infrastructure.

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Last updated:Fri Dec 1 17:17:52 2006