One of Taiwan's most outspoken supporters in the US Congress slammed Mexico over reports that it had not permitted President Chen Shui-bian (
Representative Tom Tancredo, a Colorado Republican, criticized Mexico in a recent speech.
Chen was forced to delay his return to Taipei from a transit in Los Angeles on Jan. 11 after Mexico reportedly prohibited his plane from entering its airspace because of pressure exerted by China.
Tancredo said that the move extended the flight time from five hours to ten hours, which he said delayed Chen's appointments with US officials, in addition to putting the lives of both Chen and the flight crew at risk.
As a result of the Mexican government's refusal to allow Chen access to its airspace, the president's aircraft made a detour over the Pacific Ocean.
Chen and his delegation had been scheduled to arrive in Los Angeles at 2:30pm, but instead landed at around 8pm.
Chen's scheduled meetings and telephone calls with US politicians and academics were delayed or canceled.
Tancredo questioned what he described as the decision by Mexican authorities to refuse Chen access to Mexican airspace, after having agreed to the request prior to Chen's departure for Nicaragua. Tancredo said that the reason for the refusal was clear and simple: Chinese pressure.
Tancredo is a member of the Congressional Taiwan Caucus. He recently announced that he was setting up an exploratory committee to prepare for a bid for the Republican Party's presidential nomination in 2008.
Tancredo also directed comments at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, that "next time a popularly elected Taiwanese president visits the US," he or she should be received in Washington. He added that he also hoped that any popularly elected Taiwanese leader visiting North America would be given courteous treatment by other democratic countries in the region.
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