Mexico Congress blocks Fox foreign tour after bombs
07 Nov 2006 23:23:04 GMT Source: Reuters
By Chris Aspin MEXICO CITY, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Mexican lawmakers on Tuesday blocked a planned visit by President Vicente Fox to Australia and Vietnam next week, citing political upheaval after bombs exploded in Mexico City and street clashes broke out in a southern state. Lawmakers voted 258-187 to refuse Fox, who leaves office at the end of the month, permission to leave the country for the 10-day trip. Congress must approve all foreign travel for Mexican presidents, but it rarely stops state visits. Bombs exploded in the capital on Monday, damaging the country's top electoral court, an opposition party's headquarters and a Canadian-owned bank. Also, two grenade explosions hit a Pacific Coast beach resort just hours before a visit by President-elect Felipe Calderon on Tuesday. No one was wounded in any of the blasts and it was unclear if they were related to the visit. "The country is in crisis," said Rodolfo Solis, from the leftist Workers' Party. The bombings came after a deep political rift opened over July's contested presidential election and heavy street clashes last week between riot police and protesters seeking the resignation of Oaxaca's state governor. "It would be better if Fox went on a working visit to Oaxaca," said Erick Lopez, a legislator with the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution. Oaxaca city is popular with North American and European tourists but has been paralyzed for months by barricades and marches. Leftist guerrillas said they planted the Mexico City bombs to support the anti-governor protests in Oaxaca. About 15 people, mainly protesters, have died in recent months. Fox's frequent foreign trips have often been criticized but blocking his travel is a drastic step. The Senate vetoed a planned Fox trip to the United States and Canada in 2002, saying it was a private visit. Lawmakers from most opposition parties voted against Fox's National Action Party to block the travel plans. Fox was scheduled to be in Australia from Sunday through Thursday to promote trade. Plans then were to go to Hanoi for a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation group, or APEC. Mexican media criticized Fox for wanting to visit Australia as they say he has a pregnant daughter living there. Before the vote, Fox's spokesman, Ruben Aguilar, said the president always analyzed the political situation in Mexico before leaving the country. "The president will not travel ... if conditions are not right." (Additional reporting by Anahi Rama)
