MEXICO CITY, May 12 (UPI) -- Mexican President Vicente Fox warned that nationalist and protectionist policies of Venezuela and Bolivia could damage prospects for Latin America as a whole.
Fox made a thinly veiled attack on Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and Bolivian President Evo Morales -- who recently moved to nationalize the Bolivian gas industry -- the Financial Times reported.
"I respect the opinions of other presidents and do not want to interfere in their decisions," Fox said. But he added " ... it's precisely populism, demagoguery, deception, which only hurt the process of development and impoverish people even more."
Mexico has invited Bolivia and other nations to compete for a long-term contract to supply the country with natural gas.
Fox said he would ask for a firsthand account from Morales about how Bolivia's plans for gas nationalization would affect cooperation with Mexico.
