Former Mexican President Supports Drug Legalization

August 11, 2010

Vicente Fox, Mexico’s president from 2000 to 2006, recently announced his support for the legalization of marijuana and criticized the use of the Mexican Army to support local police forces as they attempt to clamp down on drug cartels in the country.   President Fox’s views on drugs and Mexico’s continuing war on drugs were posted on his personal blog.

His comments come just days after President Felipe Calderón hosted a security conference at Los Pinos, the presidential residence, in which Calderón indicated that he did not support legalization but understood that such a move would “significantly reduce criminals’ cash flow.”  Fox echoed those remarks by noting that legalization was “a strategy to weaken and break the economic system that allows cartels to earn huge profits.” 

The former president’s comments add to the growing number of voices in Latin America calling for a change of strategy in dealing with the scourge of the drug trade.  Last year, three former presidents Fernando Henrique Cardoso of Brazil, César Gaviria of Colombia, and Ernesto Zedillo of Mexico endorsed a change in the approach currently taken to stemming the flow of drugs.

President Calderón supports continued debate on legalization, but is personally against such legislation. 

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To Reduce Narcotics Violence, Decriminalize Marijuana, Say Latin American Politicians

May 15, 2009

On Tuesday, former Mexican President Vicente Fox added his name to a growing list of prominent political figures urging the decriminalization of marijuana. He painted the current militarized approach as misguided and ineffectual, saying “it can’t be that the only way is for the state to use force.”

It’s not the first time Fox has publicly supported decriminalization. During his term in office, Fox urged the Mexican Congress to pass a similar measure, only to veto it when it reached his desk. No doubt, pressure from Washington forced the change of heart.  At present, however, Fox’s position alligns with notable politicians on both sides of the border.

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