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Viewing cable 06MEXICO1470, THE COMPETITIVENESS FORUM: A FRANK LOOK AT

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06MEXICO1470 2006-03-17 21:20 2011-08-30 01:44 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Mexico
VZCZCXRO3799
RR RUEHCD RUEHGD RUEHHO RUEHMC RUEHNG RUEHNL RUEHRD RUEHRS RUEHTM
DE RUEHME #1470/01 0762120
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 172120Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY MEXICO
TO RUEHXC/ALL US CONSULATES IN MEXICO COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9711
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MEXICO 001470 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EFIN EINV ECON EPET
SUBJECT: THE COMPETITIVENESS FORUM: A FRANK LOOK AT 
MEXICO'S CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES 
 
REF: MEX 06086 
 
1.   SUMMARY.  The Special Commission for Competitiveness and 
Regional Development for the Mexican Chamber of Deputies held 
a forum to discuss the "Agenda to Promote the Competitiveness 
of the Nation" on March 7-9 in Mexico City.  Attendees heard 
a wide range of viewpoints regarding the challenges the next 
administration will confront in order to raise the 
competitiveness of the Mexican economy, especially in light 
of international competition.  Most of the speakers agreed 
that there is no panacea for enabling the Mexican economy to 
compete more effectively in the global marketplace, but 
instead positive change will depend upon durable political 
leadership with the ability and will to enact difficult 
reforms, foster a new openness to foreign investment, and 
expand educational and social opportunities to all.  The 
attendees heard from representatives of the three leading 
presidential candidates, business leaders, government 
officials, and political analysts.  END SUMMARY. 
 
MORE COMPETITION NEEDED 
----------------------- 
 
2.  Most of the representatives agreed that "crony 
capitalism" and the lack of competition in many sectors of 
the Mexican marketplace had resulted in higher prices, little 
innovation, and a generally weaker Mexican economy versus the 
economies of global competitors.  Guillermo Ortiz Martinez, 
Governor of the Bank of Mexico, flatly stated that Mexico's 
ability to compete has been hurt by sectors of the economy 
controlled by monopolies.  Mr. Ortiz pointed out the 
telecommunications sector, in which 94 percent of fixed 
telephone lines, and 80 percent of cellular services are 
controlled by one company (TelMex), thereby ensuring high 
prices and poor service.  Political scientist Denise Dresser 
said that policymakers needed to ensure economic and 
educational opportunities for all instead of the few "at the 
top of the pyramid".  She also demanded that policymakers 
enact real reform, instead of superficial agreements such as 
the Chapultpec Accord (reftel), an understanding between 
business and political leaders to support a climate of 
economic growth and increased investment which Dresser 
claimed was good for appearances but lacked substance. 
According to Dresser, "we cannot allow the wealth to be 
concentrated in the hands of the Azcarragas (owner of 
Televisa)...the Slims (owner of TelMex), at the expense of 
the Sanchez (ordinary Mexican)." 
 
SLIM RESPONDS 
------------- 
 
3.  Responding to criticism from Ortiz, Dresser, and others, 
Carlos Slim, the owner of TelMex and Mexico's richest man, 
rejected the notion that his company stifles competition and 
is to blame for the low competitiveness of the Mexican 
economy.  Slim stated that Ortiz was responsible for the 
problem, by instituting high interest rates which inflate the 
value of the peso.  Slim also charged that Ortiz was a member 
of a group of policymakers who protect the electricity 
monopoly's high rates, in order to obtain revenue for public 
funding. 
 
ENERGY SECTOR REFORM 
-------------------- 
 
4.  Reform of the energy sector was an important feature of 
all three presidential candidates' plans.  Nearly every 
speaker at the conference noted how high energy prices, 
coupled with fraud, waste, and abuse, were negatively 
affecting the Mexican economy.  Mr. Ortiz illustrated how 
Mexico is currently wasting 16.2 percent of its energy, while 
the world average is 9.6 percent.  He also claimed that 30 
percent of electricity production is stolen.  In addition, 
energy costs in Mexico are twice the average in the US, three 
times the average in China.  Both Jorge Chavez Presa, 
spokesman for Roberto Madrazo (PRI), and Jorge Hinojosa 
Moreno, spokesman for Filipe Calderon (PAN), emphasized that 
substantial restructuring and reorganization of PEMEX may be 
necessary.  Both also called for modernization of the energy 
sector infrastructure, with Hinojosa suggesting that private 
sector investment and cooperation with state-owned 
enterprises would be desirable.  Rogelio Ramirez de la O, an 
advisor to Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (PRD), did not 
emphasize internal reorganization of the sector, but stated 
that additional resources should be allocated in order to 
build at least two additional refineries, and to increase 
production of crude oil and natural gas.  Saying "energy is 
an indispensable resource, reminding us how vulnerable we 
are", Ramirez argued that the increased production should be 
used internally, to cut imports and lower energy costs, 
rather than to increase tax revenues. 
 
MEXICO 00001470  002 OF 002 
 
 
 
MORE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, PLEASE 
------------------------------------- 
 
5.  Another central theme of the conference was the 
importance of creating policies which increased the level of 
research and development in the Mexican economy.  According 
to Jesus de la Rosa Ibarra, a leader in the industrial 
sector, Mexico only spends 0.3 percent of GDP on R and D, 
while the world average is 4.8 percent.  He claimed that "the 
speed and innovation isn't there (in Mexico).  We need to 
forget about what was and look to the future."  De la Rosa 
also pointed out that a higher percentage of Mexico's 
workforce is in the service sector of the economy (compared 
to the world average), and a greater emphasis should be put 
on encouraging the growth of value-added, high-skilled 
positions.  Rene Villarreal, Undersecretary of Urban 
Development, illustrated that the world economy was 
transitioning from manufacturing to "mindfacturing," and that 
Mexico "couldn't just focus on cheap labor as a motor for 
growth."  While there was consensus regarding the need for 
increased R and D and the sharing of ideas on a global basis, 
the speakers expressed doubt that the necessary reforms would 
be enacted. 
 
POLITICAL WILL 
-------------- 
 
6.  Most speakers emphasized the need for the Mexican 
government to deregulate, open the economy to foreign 
investment, and increase the competitiveness and dynamism of 
the Mexican economy.  However, there was also a general 
realization of the challenging nature of the task.  According 
to Eduardo Perez Motta, President of the Federal Competition 
Commission, "we have to face the interest groups first." 
Isabel Guerrero, Director of the World Bank office in Mexico, 
stated that "there is no discipline or political will to 
confront interest groups."  Some of the speakers blamed 
Mexico's divided govenment and term limits for providing a 
disincentive for Deputies and the President to take 
accountability for difficult issues.  Other speakers blamed 
malfeasance by governmental leaders, suggesting that in 
Mexico, politicians normally "bought the vote (through 
wasteful expenditures) instead of winning it." 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
7.  There was nearly universal agreement by Mexico's 
political and economic leaders that, in order to face the 
global economic threats posed by China, India, and others, 
new strategies will need to be adopted.  Despite being in a 
period when the US economic growth has been steady, inflation 
and interest rates low, and crude oil prices high, Mexican 
economic growth and export position versus China has been 
disappointing.  The challenge for the new administration will 
be enacting difficult reforms in the face of extreme pressure 
from all-powerful interest groups, a task even optimistic 
observers doubt may be possible in the near term.  However, 
the competitiveness conference demonstrated that there is 
broad consensus across most of the political spectrum 
regarding many of the solutions, which may be a first step. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Visit Mexico City's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/mexicocity 
 
GARZA