On Sunday the Church in Mexico observed the Day of the Migrant. Taking advantage of Fox and his wife’s presence at Mass in the metropolitan cathedral, the cardinal said that «to create concrete conditions of peace, in regard to emigrants and refugees, means to commit oneself seriously to defend first of all the right to emigrate, that is, to live in peace and dignity in one’s own homeland.»
He continued: «Thanks to attentive local or national administrations, to more equitable commerce, and to a solidaristic international cooperation, each country must be able to ensure for its own inhabitants not only freedom of expression and movement, but also the possibility to satisfy their essential needs, such as food, health, work, housing, education, whose frustration places people in conditions which force them to emigrate.»
Paradoxically, Mexican emigrants have become one of the three most important channels of income for their homeland.
According to the Bank of Mexico, in the four years of Fox’s presidency, Mexican workers in the United States have sent remittances amounting to $42 billion. This is 174% more than what was sent in 1996-2000.
