A close election in Mexico is coming up. The candidate running from the current President's political party - Felipe Calderon - is being painted as a market conservative. President Fox has not been very helpful on illegal immigration so I would assume Calderon would continue that policy. Calderon’s opponent is Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Obrador is a mixed package that many believe may be a Leftist in the mold of Hugo Chavez. I wonder what the Leftist Obrador is thinking about illegal immigration to the US?

Chavez of Venezuela has oil to back up his Marxist anti-Americanism. Who would Obrador tax to get money for socialist programs in Mexico? Nearly a third of Mexico's economy is based on illegal aliens sending or spending money earned in the US. It would be appear to be a thorny issue to implement socialism based on the source of a significant amount of the Mexican economy.

Then there are the corruption issues of Mexico. That is the part that is making Obrador attractive to a Mexican electorate - "Mexico's self-fashioned Messiah." Obrador has given the impression that as President he put a dent in Mexican government corruption. That would be actually a good thing for Mexico and America.

So the key to American National Interests is what kind of Marxist would Obrador be if elected? Chavez unfriendly or possibly European style socialism that is friendly toward market economies and America.