Monday, June 30, 2008

 

Ernesto Ruffo, a Man of the Times and Mexico’s Future

By Carlos Luken

 

Nearly 20 years ago Ernesto Ruffo and the PAN pulled off the unlikeliest political upset in Mexico’s history.

 

“Change” began in 1989, when Ruffo seized the governorship from the previously unbeatable Institutional Revolutionary Party. After 60 years of supremacy, the PRI and then Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari were pressured nationally and internationally to acknowledge they had lost a gubernatorial race, that of the northwestern Mexican state of Baja California.

 

Mexico’s political “miracle” was as unexpected as Ruffo’s National Action Party machinery was unprepared. Up to 1988 the PAN had demonstrated an admirable single-mindedness and resilience to contend in elections against a notorious rival that has been called Latin America’s “perfect dictatorship.”

 

In those days the PAN was more about the fight than the victory; not many imagined that the PRI would leave its corrupt practices and fraudulent shenanigans. Few expected votes would even be counted, and absolutely no one predicted that if they were the election would go to the winner.

 

PAN’s militancy was not political in the strict sense of the word; they were more ragtag teams of malcontents that were fed up with the status quo. PAN managed to amalgamate those small groups of advocates under the direction of a handful of successful and farsighted individuals who had a better vision for Mexico.

 

Ruffo, a charismatic Ensenada mayor who had successfully challenged Baja California’s PRI Governor Xicotencatl Leyva, was the person the PAN needed. His straightforward and courageous figure fused with the small group’s innovative ideas sparked a political campaign that ignited massive crowds and created Ruffomania, a tsunami of responsiveness and votes. Despite being overspent by a 10 to 1 margin, Ruffo handily won the governorship.

 

But the dazed Panistas were soon awakened by reality. While winning, Ruffo found himself alone with his inner circle as the PRI maneuvered and captured the state congressional majority. The PRI also held onto the reins of the state employees’ and teachers’ unions, as well as all labor and farm associations.

 

Prior to this no Panista had any real state government experience. And Ruffo’s small band of businessmen and activists were simply insufficient to fill the massive government positions. In a show of solidarity, most of the group closed ranks with Ruffo (many people leaving their companies and better paying jobs). Others vacated their homes and the comfort of token elected positions and moved to Baja California. Thus the first authority echelons were barely filled.

 

Despite many allegedly being part of the PRI’s grassroots organizations, Ruffo had no choice but to acknowledge and keep the greater part of employees from past administrations. It proved to be a wise move. The vast majority of them, tired of being bullied and used as political fodder by the PRI and weary of being made scapegoats by corrupt officials, simply turned and supported the new administration.

 

Thus, completely ill-equipped, the PAN began an era of over expectations and promise of change with the whole federal government and congress against it; with very few experienced officials; and ironically the same workforce that had occupied prior positions in the overthrown PRI governments. It was also supposed to govern using obsolete laws, regulations and unworkable institutions.

 

But Ernesto Ruffo and his lineup proved to be the right team for the time. Without resources or federal support, and facing confrontations at every turn, Ruffo was cool as ice. He recognized his position and acted accordingly, never ruffling feathers needlessly as he took a conciliatory position.

 

At times he took advantage of his sole-opposition status by clandestinely rallying support of PRI state administrations who could not openly support his ideas but saw the benefits for their states. He constantly and successfully toyed with his foes; playing “good cop-bad cop,” he would let loose his subordinates to strain situations to the limit and then pull them back, step in, negotiate and collect the benefits.

 

Against all odds, important transformations were made. Recognizing the situation, the opposition controlled state congress was given a free hand and soon acknowledged their previously unknown autonomy. Initiatives were negotiated and some passed; workers were content; corruption was sharply curbed; many obsolete institutions were eliminated, some were modernized and others were created.

 

Ruffo also built the foundations for all future PAN administrations at state or municipal levels. In fact, Baja California’s next two elected governors were first members of his cabinet.

 

In retrospect, Ruffo has often been unjustly criticized by PAN hardliners as a person who did not fully embody his party’s ideals, or as someone willing to bend under pressure.

 

Still, whatever their beliefs, most citizens in general, and Panistas in particular, recognize and admire Ernesto Ruffo’s historic contribution to the political reality of Baja California and Mexico.

 

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Carlos Luken, a MexiData.info columnist, is a Mexico-based businessman and consultant.