Robert Bennett in My Life, by Bill Clinton


On Foreign Policy: 1994: Supported $25B Mexico bailout

We asked Congress to approve $25 billion in loans to allow Mexico to pay its debt on schedule and retain the confidence of creditors & investors, in return for Mexico's commitment to financial reforms & more timely reporting on its financial condition, in order to prevent this from happening again.

The risks were considerable, but I had confidence in Mexico's new president, Ernesto Zedillo. Besides, we simply couldn't let Mexico fall without trying to help. In addition to the economic problems it would cause both for us and for the Mexicans, we would be sending a terrible signal of selfishness and shortsightedness throughout Latin America.

Congressional leaders pledged their support, including Republican senator Bob Bennett of Utah, a highly intelligent, old-fashioned conservative who quickly grasped the consequences of inaction and would stick with us throughout the crisis.

Congress would not pass the bill so we ended up providing the money to Mexico out of the Exchange Stabilization Fund

Source: My Life, by Bill Clinton, p.642-643 Jun 21, 2004

The above quotations are from My Life, by Bill Clinton.
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