Forgive and forget: defense secretary calls for political and social reconciliation.

A wide variety of public actors recently have voiced concerns about the need to immediately attend to specific issues of national interest.

Such voices have sprung from massive public demonstrations, the military and, most recently, from President Fox's inner circle. The common denominator is the warning that decisions must be made now to prevent a larger crisis that could--as the defense secretary said--see the country spin out of control.

On June 27, thousands of protesters marched across Mexico City to demonstrate their anger at rising crime and government inaction. Similar protests were staged elsewhere, sending an unmistakable message to authorities that public safety is a primary concern.

Never before in Mexico's history had so many people united for a single cause. Some estimates suggested there were more than 500,000 participants in Mexico City alone. The masses marched mostly in silence with one purpose--to call on the government to guarantee the most basic right a democratic state is expected to provide: public safety for its citizens.

The demonstration succeeded in placing public safety atop the political agenda and federal, state and local government officials quickly responded. The success or failure of these actions surely will affect public perception of the ongoing political transition and no doubt will play a major role in the 2006 presidential campaign.

A TIME OF RECONCILIATION

On June 30, Defense Secretary Clemente Vega Garcia surprised many with a public speech in which he suggested the country "could spin out of control."

"The Army is spread across the Republic, we see what is happening, but we recognize that we should not enter into the political debate. Yes, the Armed Forces have arms at our disposal, but these are precisely to defend the country, never to defend political power. We are obedient to political institutions and whether we like it or not, the primary institution to which we must be obedient and loyal is the presidency," he said.

Vega Garcia concluded, "these are times for conciliation, we must learn how to forgive in such moments as this." This marked the third time in four months that he spoke of the need for conciliation.

These statements take on more meaning when considered in the context of political scandals, increasing partisan conflict, a lack of cooperation between the Executive and Congress, public outrage over crime and the Supreme Court's ruling that extra-judicial arrests leading to "disappearances" do not enjoy a statute of limitations if the victims' bodies are not found.

Possible interpretations of the speech include that 1) it was a call for the political class to reach accords and attend to the public's demands; 2) the Army is ready to fulfill its duties but will not take part in crime fighting efforts that are the purview of civilian authorities; and 3) the military is concerned by the implications of the Supreme Court decision and the possible arrests of former officers involved in the "Dirty War" of the 60s and 70s.

DURAZO'S RESIGNATION

The July 5th resignation of presidential spokesman Alfonso Durazo caused shock waves throughout Los Pinos. In a 19-page resignation letter, Durazo explained his decision, bluntly describing the obstacles to genuine political transition and laying most of the blame at the feet of First Lady Martha Sahagun.

The description of Sahagun's political ambitions polarized public opinion. Some see Durazo as an opportunistic traitor for betraying the trust of the president; others interpreted the harsh criticism as being specifically relevant since it came from a member of Fox's inner circle, particularly since it "confirmed" public speculation about Sahagun.

In a declaration that made national headlines, Sahagun on June 12 adamantly denied she had any intention of running for president, but the damage within the PAN has already been done. Time will tell if the party will be able to unite behind a single candidate or if internal bickering will destroy any hopes of retaining Los Pinos.

Commentary by Joel Estudillo Rendon

Joel Estudillo Rendon is a member of the board of the Mexican Institute for Political Studies.

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