In his first major speech as president, Felipe Calderón gave Mexicans a rundown of his political priorities Friday, with crime- fighting and poverty reduction heading the list.In an Inauguration Day address before a friendly, hand- picked audience at the capital´s National Auditorium, the new leader offered a range of policy initiatives, from general goals such as job creation and improved education to specific measures that include slashing his own salary as president.
The president said he would implement a universal health insurance program for all children. He also said he would boost support for holdover social programs such as free health care for the indigent (Seguro Popular) and government-financed scholarships.
"Mexico has an enormous social debt to the poorest Mexicans," he said. "It´s vital that society and authorities make a better effort to steer social spending toward those who need it most."
But Calderón also made it clear that job creation and economic progress would be his top poverty-fighting engines. More investment from the United States will be a key focus, he said. "Instead of our workforce leaving to seek employment in the United States, what I want is for investment to come here where our workforce is," he said.
Calderón said the tourism sector can be better developed to attract foreign capital, and said the government must do more to boost small business.
"Government needs to put itself in the shoes of a mechanic who has his own shop, the housewife who runs a small restaurant, or the grandfather who has a small grocery store," he said.
He also called for a review of electoral procedures, with an eye to avoiding the uncertainty of the last election.
The president offered no concrete anti-crime reforms, but did put the national insecurity crisis at the top of his to-do list. He said he has asked his security Cabinet secretaries to draw up within 90 days a plan for overhauling the justice system. He also said the law enforcement structure will be reviewed from top to bottom.
"I know that re-establishing security won´t be easy or quick," he said
Calderón made another call for dialogue, clearly aimed at the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) that has refused to recognize Calderón as a legitimate president, insisting he won through vote fraud and illegal campaign tactics.
"This dialogue cannot wait," he said. "I will talk with whoever is ready to talk."
