The understanding that the political and intellectual class of the United States has of Mexico is a country whose position is that of a back yard.

Servants are not allowed to ask questions. They are only supposed to follow orders. That attitude has to change. But in order for it to change, there has to be radical improvement in the quality of the intelligence produced by the Mexican government.

Countries only have certain opportunities in history, and if you do not take advantage of them, those opportunities don't ever come back to you again.

The political parties have lost their loyalties.

Look at the plight of a devotee. One cannot even use the name of his favourite God. What sort of democracy is this?

Slowly but surely, we are acquiring that famous culture of democracy, which is our objective.

We need to promote an ethic of work. And there's no way one guy or one company is going to be able to do it. It has to be a big hot mess - public, private, government, NGOs and smart alecks on the TV talking about it.

If we don't get this economy going, the numbers that represent this stimulus package are going to be small compared to the loss of revenue to the federal government for our economy.