Mexican president hails 'full democracy'

Fox's election victory ended 71 years of PRI rule

By Peter Greste in Mexico City

Mexico's president, Ernesto Zedillo, has told his country that it has finally made the transition to a full democracy.

He was speaking in his final state of the nation address before handing over the presidency to the first politician from outside his Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) in 70 years.

This annual speech was always going to be Mr Zedillo's swan song - his last real opportunity to stake his place in the nation's history before stepping down as president on 1 December.

Zedillo made sweeping electoral changes

And he did just that, abandoning the traditional style of listing statistics and achievements.

Instead, he focused on his programme of electoral reform.

"I believe all of us, absolutely all of us, have to acknowledge one fact," he said. "Mexico has completed its journey towards democracy."

It was an implicit acknowledgement that in the past, his PRI had abused the democratic process to maintain its grip on power.

Criticism

Most analysts agree that, without Mr Zedillo's sweeping electoral changes, the opposition presidential candidate, Vicente Fox, would never have won the historic elections in July.

Fox said the president had courage for pushing reform

The result ended the PRI's 71-year run in power.

And at last from inside the party, Mr Zedillo has faced intense criticism for allowing it to happen.

But Mr Fox, who watched the address on television from his office, saluted the outgoing president for having the courage to push through the reforms.

"I think it's a valiant recognition, which has greatly contributed to this peaceful, stable and tranquil transition," he said.

"Today we see the future with hope and today we're going to build a future together, starting from what we inherit from Mr Zedillo's government."

It was an uncharacteristically tranquil session in the Chamber of Deputies.

In the past, opposition politicians have used the occasion to shout down the president.

But this time at least, there seemed to be a recognition that Mr Zedillo deserved respect for ushering in the most important political changes in Mexico in decades.