Mexico's consolidation scheme. (Insider Report).

Speaking to the "Club XXI" at Madrid's Hotel Eurobuilding on May 16th, Mexican President Vicente Fox declared: "Eventually our long-range objective is to establish with the United States, but also with Canada, our other regional partner, an ensemble of connections and institutions similar to those created by the European Union, with the goal of attending to future themes [such as] the future prosperity of North America, and the movement of capital, goods, services, and persons." In the immediate term, Fox is proposing the "Plan Puebla Panama" (PPP), described as "a regional integration development plan, an industrial corridor from Puebla, Mexico all the way to Panama." Fox has described regional integration of Mexico and Central America as "an imperative need."

According to the June 30th Los Angeles Times, a two-day summit of Mexican and Central American leaders in Merida, Mexico, resulted in "an ambitious plan to integrate the region, including a $3 billion highway project." The goal of the PPP "is to promote the region's development by integrating its roads, electricity grids and tariff systems, as well as building a Mexico-Panama gas pipeline." The summit also dealt with terrorism, human rights, and immigration. "Central American countries intend to open a joint office in Mexico's Veracruz state to protect migrant rights," noted the Times.