MEXICO CITY - Mexican lawmakers told farmers Thursday that President Vicente Fox shouldn't lift tariffs on U.S. farm products, and they promised to do all they could to support the farming industry.
In a meeting with farming representatives, lawmakers promised to urge Fox to maintain the tariffs, which are scheduled to be lifted in January under the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Opponents of the changes say they will force millions of Mexican farmers to head to the United States and work illegally.
But Fox's government says the import opening will make Mexican farms more competitive, bring new investment to the countryside and give factory jobs to people barely making a living on small, inefficient farms.
Fox is the only person who can halt the changes.
Eric Eber Villanueva, president of the governing board for Mexico's lower house of Congress, said in a statement that Mexican farmers were struggling through "one of their worst periods, and they are in crisis."
He said lawmakers were urging Fox to negotiate with the United States, and come up with a compromise that would protect the farming community.
Farming representatives welcomed the lawmakers' comments, saying they were glad Congress was responding to their demands.
On Dec. 10, protesters — including farmers — rode horses into the lobby of Congress, hurled fire extinguishers at fleeing security guards and disrupted the legislative session for more than an hour.
Two days later, farmers helped protesters break down a door to Congress before being pushed back by police and security guards.
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