AGUASCALIENTES, Mexico — The conservative tied for first place in Mexico's presidential race said Thursday he would counter the influence of U.S. foe Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Latin America if elected.
Felipe Calderon told Reuters he wanted Mexico, which has close trade ties with the United States, to play a more active role in the region.
"It is going to be a factor of deliberation, balance and good sense compared to the leadership and active policies, to give them their polite name, of Hugo Chavez," Calderon said.
Armed with wealth from high oil prices, Chavez has extended his clout in Latin America in recent years as leftist allies like Bolivian President Evo Morales have taken power.
Calderon, locked in a bitter rivalry with leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador for the July 2 election, said Mexico did not want to clash with the firebrand Venezuelan leader but would in no way take its cue from him.
"It wouldn't have to be a leadership in confrontation with Chavez but of course we wouldn't have to ask permission from Chavez or anyone else to carry out our foreign policy," Calderon said on his campaign bus on the way to the central city of Aguascalientes.
Mexico and Venezuela withdrew their ambassadors from each other's countries last year in a dispute after Chavez called Mexican President Vicente Fox a "lap dog" of Washington.
Calderon, from Fox's National Action Party, said Chavez was hoping for a Lopez Obrador victory in Mexico.
"The sympathies of Chavez are with Lopez Obrador but for me it's the sympathies of the Mexicans, not Chavez's, that are the most relevant," he said.
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