AP Worldstream
03-09-2005
Dateline: MEXICO CITY
Discount pharmacy magnate Victor Gonzalez says he can feel the support of the people, with Mexico's presidential elections now 16 months away.
Gonzalez has made a name for himself based on the popularity of his fast-growing discount drug chain Farmacias Similares, but still needs the backing of a political party to get on the presidential ballot in 2006.
"They ask me if I have a party," Gonzalez said at a news conference Tuesday. "Yes, the party is my entire country."
Gonzalez is not the only presidential aspirant trying to go it alone. Jorge Castaneda, a former foreign secretary under President Vicente Fox, had hoped to run as an independent, but courts so far have blocked that idea.
Gonzalez says his presidential credentials are his success in business as a model of cooperation between Mexico's rich and poor. He is proposing a new brand of socialism that incorporates the name of his company _ "Simi-socialism."
"I like to attend events, for example, in a BMW," he said. "The people see it (and say), 'it's good you have money so you can give more to us.' The people like the truth and are sick of lies."
While holding discussions with political parties in search of a place on the ballot, Gonzalez has proposed that Congress allow independent candidacies for those who can gather 500,000 signatures and 1 million pesos (US$907,000; euro687,000).
The uncle of Green Party President Jorge Emilio Gonzalez and the brother of the small party's founder, Victor Gonzalez has ruled out an affiliation with the Greens, preferring to strike out on his own.
The would-be candidate promised in general terms to confront corruption and tax evasion in Mexico, saying he would lead the way be example and disclose his personal wealth if elected president.
"I have a comfortable lifestyle, I can't deny it," he said.
Gonzalez also suggested limiting immunity from prosecution for public officials to cover only job-related activities.
Most of all, the country urgently needs to change its attitude about corruption, he said.
"In other countries a corrupt person is not viewed kindly and is repudiated," Gonzalez said. "Here no. Sometimes corruption is applauded."
While Gonzalez searches for a legal means to run for president, he also is seeking to convert his customer base into a political base.
On billboards in Mexico City, the cartoon-character mascot for Farmacias Similares _ a mustachioed Dr. Simi _ is shown morphing into the image of Gonzalez.
"We have done a lot for the poor people, for the people who have the least, but I still need to be on the ballot," Gonzalez said.
Farmacias Similares sells generic medicines that are not necessarily tested for equivalency with patented drugs under the banner, "the same, but cheaper." There are more than 1,700 stores in Mexico, and branches have opened in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Argentina and Ecuador.
Gonzalez said generic drug manufacturers are responsible for ensuring the quality of the products sold by Farmacias Similares, but that he supported legal changes that went into effect in February increasing federal oversight of generics.
Laboratorios Best, which is owned by Gonzalez, makes about 30 percent of the drugs supplied by Farmacias Similares.
In television ads for the pharmacy, a Dr. Simi puppet interviews scantily clad women in suggestive ads for condoms, or "simi-condoms."
On Tuesday, Gonzalez said women would be assigned "prominent roles" in his government, expressing admiration for female politicians including Zacatecas state governor Amalia Garcia.
"The Simi-girl is an image for Farmacias Similares," Gonzalez said. "Politics is obviously a separate life."
Copyright 2005, AP News All Rights Reserved
Pharmacy magnate seeks spot on presidential ballot in MexicoMORGAN LEE, Associated Press Writer
AP Worldstream
03-09-2005
Dateline: MEXICO CITY
Discount pharmacy magnate Victor Gonzalez says he can feel the support of the people, with Mexico's presidential elections now 16 months away.
Gonzalez has made a name for himself based on the popularity of his fast-growing discount drug chain Farmacias Similares, but still needs the backing of a political party to get on the presidential ballot in 2006.
"They ask me if I have a party," Gonzalez said at a news conference Tuesday. "Yes, the party is my entire country."
Gonzalez is not the only presidential aspirant trying to go it alone. Jorge Castaneda, a former foreign secretary under President Vicente Fox, had hoped to run as an independent, but courts so far have blocked that idea.
Gonzalez says his presidential credentials are his success in business as a model of cooperation between Mexico's rich and poor. He is proposing a new brand of socialism that incorporates the name of his company _ "Simi-socialism."
"I like to attend events, for example, in a BMW," he said. "The people see it (and say), 'it's good you have money so you can give more to us.' The people like the truth and are sick of lies."
While holding discussions with political parties in search of a place on the ballot, Gonzalez has proposed that Congress allow independent candidacies for those who can gather 500,000 signatures and 1 million pesos (US$907,000; euro687,000).
The uncle of Green Party President Jorge Emilio Gonzalez and the brother of the small party's founder, Victor Gonzalez has ruled out an affiliation with the Greens, preferring to strike out on his own.
The would-be candidate promised in general terms to confront corruption and tax evasion in Mexico, saying he would lead the way be example and disclose his personal wealth if elected president.
"I have a comfortable lifestyle, I can't deny it," he said.
Gonzalez also suggested limiting immunity from prosecution for public officials to cover only job-related activities.
Most of all, the country urgently needs to change its attitude about corruption, he said.
"In other countries a corrupt person is not viewed kindly and is repudiated," Gonzalez said. "Here no. Sometimes corruption is applauded."
While Gonzalez searches for a legal means to run for president, he also is seeking to convert his customer base into a political base.
On billboards in Mexico City, the cartoon-character mascot for Farmacias Similares _ a mustachioed Dr. Simi _ is shown morphing into the image of Gonzalez.
"We have done a lot for the poor people, for the people who have the least, but I still need to be on the ballot," Gonzalez said.
Farmacias Similares sells generic medicines that are not necessarily tested for equivalency with patented drugs under the banner, "the same, but cheaper." There are more than 1,700 stores in Mexico, and branches have opened in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Argentina and Ecuador.
Gonzalez said generic drug manufacturers are responsible for ensuring the quality of the products sold by Farmacias Similares, but that he supported legal changes that went into effect in February increasing federal oversight of generics.
Laboratorios Best, which is owned by Gonzalez, makes about 30 percent of the drugs supplied by Farmacias Similares.
In television ads for the pharmacy, a Dr. Simi puppet interviews scantily clad women in suggestive ads for condoms, or "simi-condoms."
On Tuesday, Gonzalez said women would be assigned "prominent roles" in his government, expressing admiration for female politicians including Zacatecas state governor Amalia Garcia.
"The Simi-girl is an image for Farmacias Similares," Gonzalez said. "Politics is obviously a separate life."
Copyright 2005, AP News All Rights Reserved
Pharmacy magnate seeks spot on presidential ballot in MexicoMORGAN LEE, Associated Press Writer
AP Worldstream
03-09-2005
Dateline: MEXICO CITY
Discount pharmacy magnate Victor Gonzalez says he can feel the support of the people, with Mexico's presidential elections now 16 months away.
Gonzalez has made a name for himself based on the popularity of his fast-growing discount drug chain Farmacias Similares, but still needs the backing of a political party to get on the presidential ballot in 2006.
"They ask me if I have a party," Gonzalez said at a news conference Tuesday. "Yes, the party is my entire country."
Gonzalez is not the only presidential aspirant trying to go it alone. Jorge Castaneda, a former foreign secretary under President Vicente Fox, had hoped to run as an independent, but courts so far have blocked that idea.
Gonzalez says his presidential credentials are his success in business as a model of cooperation between Mexico's rich and poor. He is proposing a new brand of socialism that incorporates the name of his company _ "Simi-socialism."
"I like to attend events, for example, in a BMW," he said. "The people see it (and say), 'it's good you have money so you can give more to us.' The people like the truth and are sick of lies."
While holding discussions with political parties in search of a place on the ballot, Gonzalez has proposed that Congress allow independent candidacies for those who can gather 500,000 signatures and 1 million pesos (US$907,000; euro687,000).
The uncle of Green Party President Jorge Emilio Gonzalez and the brother of the small party's founder, Victor Gonzalez has ruled out an affiliation with the Greens, preferring to strike out on his own.
The would-be candidate promised in general terms to confront corruption and tax evasion in Mexico, saying he would lead the way be example and disclose his personal wealth if elected president.
"I have a comfortable lifestyle, I can't deny it," he said.
Gonzalez also suggested limiting immunity from prosecution for public officials to cover only job-related activities.
Most of all, the country urgently needs to change its attitude about corruption, he said.
"In other countries a corrupt person is not viewed kindly and is repudiated," Gonzalez said. "Here no. Sometimes corruption is applauded."
While Gonzalez searches for a legal means to run for president, he also is seeking to convert his customer base into a political base.
On billboards in Mexico City, the cartoon-character mascot for Farmacias Similares _ a mustachioed Dr. Simi _ is shown morphing into the image of Gonzalez.
"We have done a lot for the poor people, for the people who have the least, but I still need to be on the ballot," Gonzalez said.
Farmacias Similares sells generic medicines that are not necessarily tested for equivalency with patented drugs under the banner, "the same, but cheaper." There are more than 1,700 stores in Mexico, and branches have opened in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Argentina and Ecuador.
Gonzalez said generic drug manufacturers are responsible for ensuring the quality of the products sold by Farmacias Similares, but that he supported legal changes that went into effect in February increasing federal oversight of generics.
Laboratorios Best, which is owned by Gonzalez, makes about 30 percent of the drugs supplied by Farmacias Similares.
In television ads for the pharmacy, a Dr. Simi puppet interviews scantily clad women in suggestive ads for condoms, or "simi-condoms."
On Tuesday, Gonzalez said women would be assigned "prominent roles" in his government, expressing admiration for female politicians including Zacatecas state governor Amalia Garcia.
"The Simi-girl is an image for Farmacias Similares," Gonzalez said. "Politics is obviously a separate life."
Copyright 2005, AP News All Rights Reserved
Pharmacy magnate seeks spot on presidential ballot in MexicoMORGAN LEE, Associated Press Writer
AP Worldstream
03-09-2005
Dateline: MEXICO CITY
Discount pharmacy magnate Victor Gonzalez says he can feel the support of the people, with Mexico's presidential elections now 16 months away.
Gonzalez has made a name for himself based on the popularity of his fast-growing discount drug chain Farmacias Similares, but still needs the backing of a political party to get on the presidential ballot in 2006.
"They ask me if I have a party," Gonzalez said at a news conference Tuesday. "Yes, the party is my entire country."
Gonzalez is not the only presidential aspirant trying to go it alone. Jorge Castaneda, a former foreign secretary under President Vicente Fox, had hoped to run as an independent, but courts so far have blocked that idea.
Gonzalez says his presidential credentials are his success in business as a model of cooperation between Mexico's rich and poor. He is proposing a new brand of socialism that incorporates the name of his company _ "Simi-socialism."
"I like to attend events, for example, in a BMW," he said. "The people see it (and say), 'it's good you have money so you can give more to us.' The people like the truth and are sick of lies."
While holding discussions with political parties in search of a place on the ballot, Gonzalez has proposed that Congress allow independent candidacies for those who can gather 500,000 signatures and 1 million pesos (US$907,000; euro687,000).
The uncle of Green Party President Jorge Emilio Gonzalez and the brother of the small party's founder, Victor Gonzalez has ruled out an affiliation with the Greens, preferring to strike out on his own.
The would-be candidate promised in general terms to confront corruption and tax evasion in Mexico, saying he would lead the way be example and disclose his personal wealth if elected president.
"I have a comfortable lifestyle, I can't deny it," he said.
Gonzalez also suggested limiting immunity from prosecution for public officials to cover only job-related activities.
Most of all, the country urgently needs to change its attitude about corruption, he said.
"In other countries a corrupt person is not viewed kindly and is repudiated," Gonzalez said. "Here no. Sometimes corruption is applauded."
While Gonzalez searches for a legal means to run for president, he also is seeking to convert his customer base into a political base.
On billboards in Mexico City, the cartoon-character mascot for Farmacias Similares _ a mustachioed Dr. Simi _ is shown morphing into the image of Gonzalez.
"We have done a lot for the poor people, for the people who have the least, but I still need to be on the ballot," Gonzalez said.
Farmacias Similares sells generic medicines that are not necessarily tested for equivalency with patented drugs under the banner, "the same, but cheaper." There are more than 1,700 stores in Mexico, and branches have opened in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Argentina and Ecuador.
Gonzalez said generic drug manufacturers are responsible for ensuring the quality of the products sold by Farmacias Similares, but that he supported legal changes that went into effect in February increasing federal oversight of generics.
Laboratorios Best, which is owned by Gonzalez, makes about 30 percent of the drugs supplied by Farmacias Similares.
In television ads for the pharmacy, a Dr. Simi puppet interviews scantily clad women in suggestive ads for condoms, or "simi-condoms."
On Tuesday, Gonzalez said women would be assigned "prominent roles" in his government, expressing admiration for female politicians including Zacatecas state governor Amalia Garcia.
"The Simi-girl is an image for Farmacias Similares," Gonzalez said. "Politics is obviously a separate life."
Copyright 2005, AP News All Rights Reserved
Комментариев нет:
Отправить комментарий