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Mexico's new Green Party (PVEM) president talks about environmentalism, growth, politics and betrayal
For eight years now, Mexico's Green Party (PVEM) has been synonymous with the name Jorge Gonzalez. The party's founder and former president Jorge Gonzalez Torres aligned the PVEM with Vicente Fox's own presidential bid with the National Action Party (PAN) in 2000, but was offered no cabinet position after their joint victory.
Today, the PVEM has withdrawn from government altogether, rejoining the ranks of the opposition under the new leadership of Gonzalez Torres' son, 29-yearold Jorge Emilio Gonzalez Martinez. Gonzalez junior became an active environmentalist with his father at the tender age of eight, and by 26 he had become a PVEM congressional deputy. Today, as party president, he has a formidable task ahead of him: to sustain the party's rapid political growth, one that has taken them from no legislative seats in 1994, to having 16 deputies and five senators after the July 2000 election. Business Mexico spoke to Jorge Emilio Gonzalez about rivers, animals, politics and other wild things.
Why did the PVEM split with President Vicente Fox's administration last year?
We don't agree with the way President Fox is ruling the country. We don't think he's following his election campaign promises, so we are more useful to the country as opposition. That way we can pressure him to fulfill his campaign promises. We did not have any influence in government decision-making, so to be responsible concerning Mexico, we had to do this to help change the system.
What specific promises have not been kept?
The first one is to change Mexico's political system. It has ruled for more than 70 years, and we have to change it. In Mexico the president has immense power, and we have to give more power...