MIXED RECEPTION FOR FOX MAYOR, PROTESTERS GREET PRESIDENT.

Byline: RICK ORLOV Staff Writer

Mexican President Vicente Fox wrapped up a four-day U.S. visit Friday with a stop in Los Angeles, where he and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa discussed tourism, trade and mutual economic investments.

While Fox tried to concentrate on economic issues, he was greeted throughout the day by protesters, who contend Mexico has not done enough to stem the tide of illegal immigrants into the United States.

And he did not duck the issue as he addressed an audience of civic leaders gathered for a dinner reception at the Getty Center, where a mariachi band welcomed Fox and entertainment was provided later by musician David Benoit.

``For the past five years, the Mexican government has established a new system that regulates the movement of people across our borders in a manner that is legal, safe and orderly,'' Fox said, adding that he recognizes more needs to be done.

``It will take more than enforcement and walls to solve the challenges we face together.''

Fox has been emphasizing the need for economic investment between Mexico and the United States to extend job opportunities and end the poverty in his country that drives so many people to come to the United States.

Villaraigosa said he hoped to reduce some of the heat of the immigration debate to deal on areas where the city and Mexico can both prosper.

The mayor also talked about the history shared by Mexico and Los Angeles.

``The ties of commerce, culture, family, and friendship between Mexico and the city of Los Angeles continue to define who we are,'' Villaraigosa said. ``Our city is enlivened by the largest concentration of Mexicans living outside of Mexico City.''

The mayor said Los Angeles receives nearly $25 billion a year in trade from Mexico, employing 25,000 people.

Villaraigosa also said Fox has tried to improve relations between Mexico and the U.S. by beefing up efforts to reduce crime and negotiating for the extradition of the suspected killer of sheriff's Deputy David March to Los Angeles.

Villaraigosa said he also wanted to concentrate on economic issues, in the hope of creating jobs in Mexico that could stem the tide of illegal immigration.

``I am the mayor of Los Angeles and the areas I can deal with are trade and tourism and investments,'' Villaraigosa said. ``Immigration is a national policy. I have made my views clear. I do support a pathway to citizenship.''

It would be presumptuous for a mayor of a city to interject himself into foreign affairs with a visiting head of state, he said.

Protesters, however, marched and chanted in front of the Biltmore Regent Hotel in downtown Los Angeles where Fox met privately with Cardinal Roger Mahony and also held a round-table discussion with union and religious leaders.

In addition to those protesting the illegal-immigration issue, a number of people who said they were part of the bracero program marched to demand payments promised from the Mexican government.

Later, a handful of protesters positioned themselves at the entrance to the Getty Center to voice their feelings.

Mahony said Fox told him as well as other religious and union leaders that he wants to improve security along the border.

``He, too, is worried about the drugs and criminals that are there.''

Mahony said Fox also told the delegation that he appreciates what they had accomplished in the United States.

``Immigrants have something that not everybody has ... it's about having courage to go and face the unknown,'' Fox said.

Protesters at City Hall said they did not believe Villaraigosa should be meeting with Fox.

Najee Ali of Project Islamic Hope and Earl Ofari Hutchinson of the Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable said Fox should only be meeting with federal officials, who have the authority to negotiate trade pacts.

``Our fight is not with the undocumented immigrants who left Mexico for a better life it's with a country that is not dealing with its economic problems and sending their people here,'' Ali said.

``The illegal immigrants here take our jobs, crowd our schools and hospitals and take our benefits.''

Hutchinson said he remained angered over remarks Fox made several months ago that Mexicans ``are doing the jobs that not even blacks want to do in there in the United States.''

``I was offended by that,'' Hutchinson said. ``This trip is just about a smooth politician trying to make points before he is termed out of office.

``He is just getting P.R. for this trip at a time when the Senate was debating an immigration bill.''

Earlier on Friday, Fox told the California Chamber of Commerce in Sacramento that U.S. companies should take advantage of reduced trade barriers to invest in Mexico.

``Maybe you raise capital in the United States; now you can raise capital at the same cost in Mexico,'' Fox said, adding that a united North America is needed to regain a competitive edge with both Asia and Europe.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

rick.orlov(at)dailynews.com

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CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and his wife, Corina, join Mexican President Vicente Fox and his wife, Marta Sahagun de Fox, at the Getty Center for an event Friday. Fox spent the last day of his four-day U.S. visit meeting with religious and civic leaders.

(2) Meeting with Mexican President Vicente Fox, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa limited himself to matters of trade and investment, saying it would be presumptuous to delve in foreign affairs.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer