Bill Clinton
Visits Merida
Cute
Photo of the U.S. President...
This quiet little town got quite the shake-up this month
as the President of the YouKnightedStates came for a visit and chat with
his Mexican counterpart right here in Merida. Although the visit was only
be for a day, the local authorities had their hands full delaing with the
influx of reporters from all over the world and the combined security staff
of both presidents, setting up and checking things out to make sure everything
runs smoothly. Tons and tons of equipment, armoured cars, large military
types ("they are 1.90 meters tall!", commented the local paper - certainly
large men, compared to the local military variety) and probably all kinds
of surveillance and communications technology were shipped in via C-130
transport planes, the first time planes of this size and type had ever
landed at Merida's splashy International Airport.
AP
photograph - A woman in Merida during the visit observes the goings-on
below...
Among the highlights: since the Presidents were going
to have dinner, a suitable place had to be found since Presidents and other
immortals don't just sit down at Las Jirafas for a taco. So they chose
the Palacio Canton, a luxurious mansion on the Paseo de Montejo, where
the famous General Canton lived in opulent splendor thanks to the low 'wages'
paid to slaves in those days. The mansion is now a museum, but that didn't
stop anyone and so they proceeded to turn it into a nice, cozy and safe
place for an intimate dinner between the two heads of state. There were
so many modifications, disruptions and disturbances (obviously the first
thing to go was the museum idea) including the perforation of the marble
floors at the entrances to install special metal detectors, that it's director
resigned in a huff, apparently upset over all the commotion. I wonder if
he thinks it was worth it now as he collects non-existent unemployment
insurance...
Another memorable quote came from the secret service advance
team, who were checking out hospitals and other facilities (such as they
are in Merida) for access routes, security and so on, and a local doctor
had the nerve to ask them if they were enjoying Merida. Their reply, and
I can just see their expressionless faces (did they take off their dark
sunglasses I wonder?) as they stared blankly at the poor doctor, was "We'll
ask the questions - you should have been told that." How to win friends
and influence people. But I suppose that when you work for the most powerful
man on the planet you don't have to make the big effort to ingratiate yourself
with anyone.
Hacienda
Temozon... Click on the photo to read an official press release from here...
Then there was the work done on the Hacienda Temozon,
where his greatness went to purportedly chat some more with locals or perhaps
Mexico's president Zedillo himself. Apparently everything is just beautiful
now and contrasts sharply with the actual living conditions of the villagers
who have the misfortune to live in rural Yucatan and must have a somewhat
inflamed inferiority complex when they compare their dirt-floor straw roofed
hut with the opulence of the turn of the century hacienda. On the other
hand, they're probably used to that sort of thing and accept it as they
always have, as their lot in life.
A hilarious concept was the rumor that at 4 pm the Paseo
de Montejo, full of people, beer stands and general Carnaval hilarity,
would have to be cleared so that the U.S. president wouldn't have to see
drunkeness and dosorderlyness on his visit. Since setting up everything
for the Carnaval has take weeks, I find it hilarious to imagine all the
presidents men trying to get everyone to move out. As it turned out, this
rumor was true, and the authorities did manage to sweep the streets clean
of all the garbage and people prior to the president's arrival. Additional
rumors regarding Carnaval and Clinton included the postponement of Carnaval
so it wouldn't coincide with Mr. Bills visit. The Catholic hierarchy, in
all it's purple-gowned indignation, was aghast at the concept and so the
Mexican planners found themselves sandwiched between Clinton and the Archbishop.
Personally the mere idea of changing a national holiday or church holiday
just because someone important is coming to town strikes me as idiotic.
In the end, sanity prevailed and the Carnaval went ahead as planned.
In retrospect, the visit was a success as far as everyone
concerned went, except for the local politicians who never had a chance
to display their competence as they were firmly pushed out of the picture.
Bill got to play 'My Funny Valentine' for his wife on a saxophone that
conveniently found it's way into the Palacio Canton for the dinner, while
Ernesto and Nilda looked on. Talks were had, although we can only imagine
about what, and the 5,000 or so people that came obviously left an economic
impression in the hotels and the restaurants where they stayed and ate.
U.S. Department of State
Official Seal - Click to read Albright's and Reno's Press Conference from
the Fiesta Americana Hotel
Personally, though, I don't think that the visit was
worth it in the sense that the Yucatecans had anything to do with anything.
Merida was used kind of like a rented hall, a stage where the actors could
do their thing and not be disturbed by anything local. Perhaps next time
the U.S. Department of State could pay all of us to move away for a week,
say to Cancun, and then they could do whatever the hell they wanted without
consulting or dealing with anyone.
