NEW WEBSITE FEATURE by Maya del Mar In early December Mexico will inaugurate a new President, Vicente Fox. This is the final step in the peaceful overthrow of the PRI party, which has ruled Mexico for 70 years. His election followed two social threads which complimented each other—voter disgust with the heavy-handedness and corruption of the PRI, and Pres. Ernesto Zedillo bowing under pressure to open more democratic election channels. Part of a Worldwide Movement of People Fighting to Empower Themselves The major celestial influence now, and for the next 20 years, began in May, with Jupiter and Saturn meeting in Taurus, starting us all on a new grounding/economic cycle. Uranus in Aquarius, however, challenged this smug pair to remind them that the people count, and that the status quo must be changed. The Mexican people are expressing this energy through their selection of Vicente Fox. He is a businessman (Taurus) but a maverick (Uranus). In fact, he does not really belong to any political party. He had a grand birthday celebration this year, for he was elected President on his birthday, July 2. Vicente Fox Quesada was born in 1942 in Mexico City. One of the birth times given for him, 9:45 a.m., works exceptionally well, and I am using this time. Mr. Fox has Taurus on his midheaven, where he meets the public, and close to the midheaven is Uranus in Gemini. His public persona shows both of these influences—the tall, genial, independent cowboy. With Sun in Cancer and Moon in Pisces, he is receptive and emotional. Grant Lewi classifies this combination as an executive type, and says, "You have a sailboat personality; you tack with the wind and tide, shift your ballast, alter the top rigging, and keep in cahoots with the weather conditions as you find them. A keen practical sense…suspicious of others…a diplomat…play your own hunches—successfully…shrewd businessman, drive a hard bargain…" Just what Mexico Needs to Steer a Safe Passage Through the Difficult Shoals of Change On July 2, Election Day, the progressed Sun of Mexico’s chart (9-28-1821, 6:23 p.m., Mexico City) was exactly opposite the natal Sun. This major turning point happens once every 360 years! Mexico’s progressed Sun is in Aries, conjunct Chiron, the maverick and the healer. This, then, is an incredible time to manifest new, healing directions for Mexico. The charts for Mr. Fox and for Mexico are extremely active now, as well as extraordinarily intertwined. This shows that this is a time of destiny for both of them, and that now is a window of opportunity for Mr. Fox to be very effective in leading his country along new pathways. The most prominent degrees in both charts are 5-6 degrees. The Sagittarius New Moon of Nov. 27, which sets the tone for this new Administration, is at 5 degrees! Unifying Neptune and expansive Jupiter—at 5 and 7 degrees—are the two dominant energies of this New Moon. This Sagittarius New Moon has many many close aspects to both charts, showing its great significance as a time of initiation for both Mexico and Mr. Fox. Sagittarius promises good fortune, and expansion. This can include a renaissance in spiritual expansion. The New Moon is in the 8th house of regeneration in Mexico’s chart, conjoined with Pallas, the strategist and defender. It is in the 4th house of new birth in Mr. Fox’s chart, connected with his Venus, the energy of love and values. Mr. Fox has already begun serious dialog with his neighbors. (Gemini is a neighbor sign.) He visited Washington and Ontario with several feelers. One idea was to have one currency for North America, the dollar. Along with that was a suggestion that the United States and Canada help Mexico lift itself up economically, as Europe has done so successfully with Ireland, Greece, Spain, and other poorer countries. He wants to do horse trading re the border, to make it work better from both sides. He also wants more rights for labor as part of NAFTA. His Pisces Moon helps him to see the broad picture. That Moon conjoins Mexico’s North Node in Pisces, and it is certain that he will bring Mexico into the mainstream, into the flow of corporate globalization. Mr. Fox’s challenge is to make certain that the people of Mexico benefit from this process. His chart shows his ability to do exactly that. He is familiar with global corporate culture, for his work experience includes managing for Coca-Cola. In some sense, then, he also has the experience to understand the process and its requirements. Mr. Fox has also managed the family farm, giving him a hands-on understanding of the importance of agriculture in Mexico. And he has been governor of the state of Guanajuato, providing him with political administrative experience. His experience has been wide and varied, as befits his four Gemini planets in the tenth house of career. One of those planets is his Saturn, which conjoins the U.S. Uranus. He will indeed test the willfulness of the U.S., and put pressure on the United States for responsible communication and neighborly connections. Mexico, with a Libra Sun, wants both peace and justice. As a country, Mexico and its people are very unique. It has always traveled its own special pathway, and it will be interesting to see over the years how it moves into this new world. Peace and justice are global challenges. Perhaps Mexico will serve as a model of how to combine them.