Voices of Mexico no. 47

Our Voice

Presidents Ernesto Zedillo and William Clinton had their seventh bilateral meeting February 14 and 15 in Mérida, Yucatán. It was not the best of moments for either of the two.

Although the U.S. president's impeachment trial ended well for him, the celebration in the White House had to be held behind closed doors: the delicate and disagreeable process has been, undoubtedly, the most critical moment in U.S. political history since Nixon's resignation, not to mention the cost to the president personally and to his public image. While during the Nixon administration people talked about an imperial presidency, the term "presidency under siege" was coined for the current occupant of the White House. Republican senators had to face the dilemma of removing a president who, although he probably committed perjury and obstruction of justice, also created 18 million jobs, significantly raised wages, achieved a balanced budger for the first time in 30 years and reduced the crime rate as never before. Finally, 1O Republican senators decided to vote to acquit.