THE NEWS
The structural reforms approved in Mexico last year were an important step that the country needed to take to place itself among the world’s leading nations, according to a French official.
Senator Gérard Cornu, president of the Mexico-France Friendship Group, said on Tuesday that “with all due respect and with no desire to meddle in Mexico’s internal affairs,” the French government approves of what he said was the level of political maturity shown by all of Mexico’s political parties during last year’s reform process.
His comments were made during a visit to Mexico by French legislators belonging to the Mexico-France Friendship Group, which is designed to lay the groundwork for French President François Hollande’s official visit in mid-April.
According to Cornu, France and Mexico have entirely overcome the diplomatic problems that arose during the administrations of former Presidents Vicente Fox and Felipe Calderón over the imprisonment of French citizen Florence Cassez, who was convicted of belonging to a kidnapping ring, despite claims from the French government that she was innocent.
The Supreme Court ordered Cassez’s release in Jan. 2013, shortly after President Enrique Peña Nieto took office.
Cornu said that the two countries have not only recovered their relationship following what he described as “the episode,” but said that bilateral relations were better than ever.
Cornu said that France considers its relationship with Mexico to be of the utmost importance, not just because of their historical friendship and cultural affinities, but also because of a strong relationship opens up a gateway to trade with both North America and Latin America as well as Mexico itself, which has an internal market he said is important and growing.
He said that Mexico has a bright future ahead thanks to its economic capacity and its strategic geographic location, which he said, when combined with structural reforms allowing for increased competitiveness, will allow Mexico to become one of the seven most important countries in the world, according to criteria established by the French government.
French Senator Jean Marc Pastor, who belongs to the ruling Socialist Party, also praised last year’s reforms, especially because of the political civility he said was achieved by the creation of the Pact for Mexico.
“Those of us who are republicans should feel admiration for an achievement like that,” Pastor said, adding that he hopes that the benefits of the structural reforms are felt by all sectors of society, as is expected in mature democracies.
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