President Fox

It was on this day sixty-six years ago that Lazaro Cardenas was sworn into office. Cardenas was the President who, by getting rid of Gen. Plutarco Elias Calles, gave the Presidency the Imperial power that had for many decades.

Calles, who was the undisputed leader of Mexico in the late '20s founded a party I which all the revolutionary leaders could resolve their disputes in a pacific, if not democratic way. Calles was creating an institution that was destined to rule Mexico for the rest of the century. This institution would agglutinate all the political forces in the country. With four sectors, popular, military, agrarian and worker the party had a place for everyone. It would be a national party, not only in the sense that it would be known by everyone in Mexico, but because it would be the only with rights to rule Mexico. The National Revolutionary party was born.

After exiling Gen. Calles, Cardenas changed the party's name to Mexican Revolution Party, but it remained the same, except that this time it was under the control of the President. In 1946, the old revolutionaries were ready to retire and give place to a new generation of young professionals; the party's military sector was suppressed thus getting the military out of politics. Miguel Aleman became President and, again, the state party changed its name, it became the Institutional revolutionary party; PRI.

For the next fifty forty years the party reigned undisputed, winning every single election, from senate seat to the Presidency, being the PRI's candidate was a guarantee for election. In the '80s, the party suffered its first drawbacks, and in 1989 an opposition party won in a state government election. In the century's last decade, the once invincible lost more and more elections and, in 1997, it lost control of the camber of deputies.

It was only a matter of time but many most Mexicans thought that it would not; happen in their lifetime. On July 2 2000, Francisco Labastida gave a concession speech, something that was not even a possibility for a presidential candidate nominated by the PRI.

Vicente Fox Quesada will be inaugurated today, December 1, 2000 as the 64th President of the United States, ending 71 years of state party rule. It is an unprecedented and historical event and Mexico is finally hoping for a change, the task is not easy. So, help you god.

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