HE Vicente Fox Quesada

Mexican businessman and politician was president of Mexico from 2000 to 2006. President Fox's term in office marked the end of 71 years of uninterrupted rule by the Institutional Revolutionary Party. President Fox focused his early efforts on improving trade relations with the United States, calming civil unrest in such areas as Chiapas, and reducing corruption, crime, and drug trafficking. In 2001 his administration introduced constitutional reforms that strengthened the rights of Mexico’s indigenous peoples. His term was also marked by the raising of millions from poverty.
     Fox joined the Coca-Cola Group as a route supervisor. Ten years later, and after occupying various positions within the firm, he was appointed CEO, a position he held until 1979.
     Fox began his presidential term with the challenge of reducing poverty, ending corruption and consolidating democracy in the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world. One of his first objectives was the resumption of dialogue with the Zapatista guerrillas in Chiapas; As measures of détente, he ordered the release of forty Zapatista prisoners, a partial withdrawal of the army troops stationed in Chiapas, and the sending to Congress of the bill on indigenous rights agreed in 1996. With his leadership the Republic's Senate and Congress approved a legal text to modify the Constitution to recognize the rights of the indigenous population. Tax reform announced by President Fox were the most ambitious project in his presidential programme. His presidency addressed important issues for citizens such as insecurity and unemployment as well as improvements in the optimization of the functions and services of the State, and the democratization of society after the long period of political hegemony.
    After leaving office in December 2006, President Fox established Mexico's first presidential library. Its guiding principle is that "[w]e are a Latin American center that is geared around ideas, leadership, and strategies. We do it through, number one, young kids. The middle-upper class and the rest have access to the best universities. But the broader constituency does not receive any messages or aspirations of happiness in life at home." He has been a international renowned advocate of human rights and education. In 2007, President Fox was elected CoPresident of the Centrist Democratic International. He is a prominent member of the Global Leadership Foundation, a not-for-profit organization that offers, discreetly and confidentially, a range of experienced advisors to political leaders facing difficult situations and a member of the the Club de Madrid and the InterAction Council.