In addition to his wife's public travails, Mexico's Vincente Fox recently was recently caught out in an akward position: the braceros raised the stakes to get further attention to their cause.

On Saturday more than two thousand ex-braceros invaded the land of Fox's San Cristóbal ranch in Guanajuato to highlight the fact that they are owed what they claim to be up to one billion dollars deducted as 10% of their salaries from 1942 to 1966 for a pension fund for braceros that was never paid out. The braceros, who have received a lot of media attention since Bush's temporary immigrant plan was announced, left peacefully after occupying the lands of the ranch (which technically belongs to Fox's mother, Mercedes Quesada) for three hours.

Fox's response (and that of his government) has been mixed. Initially Fox responded that it was not an issue for his administration to address, but was rather something that was in the hands of Congress. Further, both he and Interior Secretary Creel stated that the braceros should be prosecuted for the illegal trespass. However Creel is scheduled to meet with the leaders of Braceroproa* Friday, and they agreed with Los Pinos to present a proposed solution to their demands.

This follows in the grand tradition of the MST invading FHC's ranch in the late 90s to highlight his administration's footdragging on land reform. Out of pure speculation here: did Braceroproa (the coordinating group) look at the MST's invasions and their (relative) success and decide to adapt that to their own goals? Or is it coincidental? Is this another example of one of the unintended consequences of globalization- more effecient dissemination of protest tactics?

*Interestingly, Braceroproa is described as a binational group, with wings both in Mexico and the US. From the newspapers it seems evident the two national groups are linked, but how I haven't been able to get to the bottom of. Despite attempts to replicate the MST in other countries (like Bolivia), this is the first example I can think of in the hemisphere of a multinational labor movement... (although I'll be the first ot concede I'm sure I'm forgetting something)