Davis’ meeting with Zedillo impraoves communications

Wednesday, February 17, 1999

Davis’ meeting with Zedillo impraoves communications

VISIT: Critics of Wilson claim former governor hurt relations
which now have to be mended

By Ileana Vega

Daily Bruin Contributor

President Clinton visited Mexico on Monday, in hopes of
encouraging initiatives to combat Mexico’s drug war problems and
expand its market for U.S. exports.

For UCLA students and faculty, opening trade between the state
of California and its nearest neighbor, Mexico, is particularly
important since more trade often means more jobs for
Californians.

"About one-third of all California jobs are related to
international trade," said Raymond Rocco, a professor of political
science who teaches "Politics of Latino/a Community Formation."

In fact, California exported more than $12 billion in goods to
Mexico in 1997, half of which were high-value electronic equipment
and industrial machinery produced by well-paid workers in the
state, according to The San Diego Union Tribune.

Recently, Gov. Gray Davis said that increasing trade to Mexico
will become among his top priorities.

Students from different organizations at UCLA have expressed
their concern about increasing communication between the
relationship of California and Mexico.

"It’s always good to keep a good relationship with our
neighbors," said John Strelow, chairman of the Bruin Republicans
and third-year political science student. "(Especially with)
increased globalization there’s more interdependency between
countries."

Strelow also said Davis has inherited a different world than
that of former Governor Pete Wilson.

Davis visited Mexico for three days, beginning Feb. 1. Davis’
trip marked the first meeting between a California governor and a
Mexican president since 1992.

The two leaders discussed a wide range of issues, including
crime, trade, the environment, immigration and education.

Henry Perez, chairman of Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de
Aztlan (MEChA) said that Davis’ trip to Mexico was a "step towards
mending the relationship that was destroyed by Wilson."

Perez, a fourth-year history and Chicano/a studies student, said
that leadership in California is beginning to reflect the
demographics of the state and that this particular leadership has
an interest in strengthening economic and cultural ties.

During the trip, Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo said, "The
trip marks a new beginning."

"Now, we have, on the California side, leadership," he said.

Zedillo agreed to make a reciprocal visit to California to
address a joint session of the California Legislature in Sacramento
this Spring.

Currently Mexico’s trade with Texas is nearly triple that with
California, even though California’s economy is double that of
Texas.

Political observers have cited the disparity as evidence that
California has suffered economically from the 1994 controversy over
Proposition 187, the ballot measure former Gov. Wilson promoted to
block government benefits for illegal immigrants.

However, Professor Rocco said he did not see the measures as
affecting trade (necessarily) since it still continued but rather
"straining political and cultural relations."

Rocco also said that Davis represents politically different
constituents than Wilson whom he knows can not afford to upset,
particularly, a power assembly and senate block.

"Wilson chose to move on culture and multi-cultural issues …
(whereas) Davis’s focus is on economic components."

But, Perez said that Davis’ actions do not "necessarily reflect
a liberal move but rather an intelligent one," he said, emphasizing
the benefits of an improved economy with stronger California-Mexico
relations.

With reports from Daily Bruin wire services.

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