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 News Around the Republic of Mexico | December 2005 
Mexicans Express Concerns About Racism
 Angus Reid
Mexico City - Some adults in Mexico believe discrimination still exists in their country, according to a poll by Parametría. 40 per cent of respondents believe skin colour influences the way people are treated.
Following the election of Vicente Fox of the National Action Party (PAN) as president in 2000, the federal government established the National Council for the Prevention of Discrimination (CONAPRED). Gilberto Rincón Gallardo — a differently abled politician who ran against Fox in the election — was appointed as chairman. The CONAPRED seeks to promote equality and develop specific policies to protect all Mexicans from exclusion.
In May, Fox was criticized for his comments during a speech in Puerto Vallarta, where he declared, "There’s no doubt that Mexican men and women—full of dignity, resolve and ability — are doing the work that not even blacks want to do in the United States."
The statement drew stern criticism from African American leaders in the U.S. — including Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton — as well as State Department spokesman Richard Boucher. While the Mexican president did not issue an apology and claimed he had been misinterpreted, a communiqué from the Foreign Affairs Secretariat stated that Fox "regretted any hurt feelings his statements may have caused."
Polling Data
Do you think skin colour influences the way people are treated in Mexico?
Yes - 40%
No - 55%
Not sure - 5%
Source: Parametría
Methodology: Face-to-face interviews with 800 Mexican adults, conducted from Jun. 10 to Jun. 14, 2005. Margin of error is 3.5 per cent. |
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