BARCELONA, Spain–Former Mexico President Vicente Fox is no fan of plans by the U.S. to build a physical barrier along the U.S./Mexico border.
As part of his response to a question about remittances posed by Cliff Rosenthal, executive director of the National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions during the World Council of CUs’ World CU Conference here, keynoter Fox responded, "It is really incomprehensible, something we don’t understand, why that great nation is building walls? What is the fear? What are they isolating from? I am talking about the border between the United States and Mexico, when they should be building bridges, bridges of understanding."
Venturing into broader themes, Fox, who had a close relationship with both U.S. and Mexican CUs during his presidency, added that he believes the U.S. should be "moving from violence and intervention in different nations, to diplomacy, to understanding and to listening. And I think we would have a better world." The words were applauded by some in the audience of approximately 1,000, drawn from 62 countries around the world.
As for credit unions, Fox was full of praise, saying, "I know of two words that define credit unions: performance with purpose. You perform well. You have a great efficient system that is moved with the energy and commitment of millions of people moving together. It is a strong performance because it has a purpose."
As for the economic crisis, Fox, who grew up in a rural area of Mexico, offered this analysis, "We all know that the years of fat cows come to an end. Then comes the year of the thin cow. I say this will be one year of thin cow, 2009."
