Mexico's Fox Paints Rosy Picture

One hundred days after he unseated a 70-year political dynasty, President Vicente Fox declared "a new Mexico" on Friday and challenged Zapatista leader Subcomandante Marcos to show he is serious about peace.

In a meeting with foreign correspondents, Fox gave a rosy assessment of the beginning of his term— his 100th day is Saturday— saying Mexico is more democratic and ethical than ever before.

"Today we're in a new Mexico, a Mexico with democratic legitimacy, a Mexico with a government that has a true moral authority," he said.

But the tasks facing Fox in his six-year term remain daunting, and there has been little time for concrete achievements in the problems at the top of most Mexicans' lists: crime, corruption and jobs.

Fox bragged about a strong economy, pointing out that February was Mexico's first month without inflation in 30 years and that the presidential handover went smoothly without the economic crises that accompanied the previous three.

But he didn't mention Mexico's widening trade deficit, its flat job growth or its declining industrial production. Investors also are concerned about an overvalued peso and on Thursday Fox's government reduced its estimate of Mexico's annual growth from 4.5 percent to 3.5 percent, in part because of the slowing U.S. economy.

Fox spoke of ending corruption in law enforcement. But aside from a raise for federal agents, he said little about how he would do that other than to "install a code of ethics in the government."

There are no indications crime is down -- in fact with a wave of drug-related killings it may even be up. Fox attributed that violence to his attacks on drug smugglers, which he said was causing them to lash back.

Fox also has many other issues to address. Amnesty International appealed to him Friday to make good on his pledge to expand human rights and eradicate political violence, while in Yucatan state a governor is defying Fox and the Supreme Court by refusing to let federal elections workers conduct an upcoming vote.

So far, Fox has spent much of his political capital trying to end the war in Chiapas, closing army bases, freeing prisoners and submitting an Indian rights bill to Congress. Rebel leader Subcomandante Marcos has responded mainly by criticizing Fox.

Fox said it is now Marcos' turn to show he is serious about ending his nominal war with the government. Marcos, who is traveling through Mexico with several hundred supporters, arrives in Mexico City on Sunday, and Fox said then he will need to declare his intentions.

"Marcos is being tested. What is being tested is whether Marcos really wants peace," Fox said. He added: "Marcos has a standing invitation to come to (my office) any day he wants so we can talk. We have a lot to talk about."

Fox said the fact that Marcos can travel through Mexico, criticizing the president along the way, shows the government's resolve to end the war.

"Marconever would have thought he would find so much freedom, so much democracy, so much openness, that he could curse the president and nobody would say anything," Fox said. "That's his right and we'll respect it."

Despite the increasing drug violence and evidence of broad drug-related corruption in the government, Fox said Mexico was finally making headway in its war with the smugglers.

He cited a record eradication of drug fields and the firings of law enforcement officers susceptible to bribes. He said he has doubled the salary of federal investigators and is training thousands of new agents to take on the smugglers.

And he said the United States is now working with Mexico as a partner, reducing consumption inside its own borders and sharing intelligence vital to Mexico's efforts to stop the drug trade.

"This allows us to double our strength ... and win this battle for the first time," he said.

But Fox appeared to back off of one of his own promises on the drug war: a statement in December that his government would arrest the Arellano Felix brothers, Mexico's most notorious smugglers, within six months.

"I don't remember having given a date," he said. "We're working on it."