President Pena Nieto Delivers His First State-of-the-Nation Address Olga R. Rodriguez - Associated Press
go to original September 2, 2013

Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto gives a thumbs up as he gives his first state-of-the-nation address at Los Pinos presidential residence in Mexico City, Monday, Sept. 2, 2013. Pena Nieto opened his address by praising the passage of a key education reform just hours earlier. (Dario Lopez-Mills)

MEXICO CITY — President Enrique Pena Nieto used much of his first state-of-the-nation address on Monday to celebrate victory in education reform that had threatened to derail the legislative agenda he has pushed since taking office Dec. 1.

Pena Nieto praised the passage of mandatory teacher evaluations in the lower house of Congress overnight, a key element that had been delayed last week amid teacher protests that paralyzed much of Mexico City and even forced him to change the date and location of the annual address.

"Our dilemma had been whether to continue to stagnate or to allow the state to recover the leadership and transform and improve the quality of education," the president said.

... Touting accomplishments in other fields, Pena Nieto reported a significant drop in murders and drug-related killings since he took office, though many doubt those statistics. He said the government had captured 65 of 122 most-wanted criminals in the last nine months, though that list has never been made public.

And he garnered more applause with a stern message to the many vigilante groups that have taken up arms against drug cartels and legal authorities alike: "We will not tolerate anyone who tries to mete out justice through their own means."

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