Lansing - Before he even began speaking, thousands of people Thursday night gave Mexican President Vicente Fox a standing ovation as he entered the Lansing Center.
"He received such a warm welcome," said Ricardo Verdoni, member of the Michigan Commission for Spanish-Speaking Affairs. "Even though the announcement came at the last minute, the word spread in a matter of days. I'm very impressed with how the community reacted to his presence."
As a part of a two-day Michigan tour, Fox gave a public address entirely in Spanish about education, immigration, health care and employment, following a meeting he had with several local leaders. The commission organized the Lansing events.
Fox discussed his desire for Mexicans to have more access to U.S. universities, the need for more textbooks and school supplies for his nation's young students and mutual economic growth for the United States and Mexico.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Lansing Mayor Tony Benavides greeted Fox and First Lady Martha Sahagun de Fox at Lansing's Capital City Airport. The Eastern High School Mariachi Band played at the arrival gate as some of Michigan's children of migrant workers shook hands with Fox.
Michigan is the fourth largest user of migrant workers in the nation, according to the commission. Eighty percent of the 45,000 migrant workers in Michigan are Mexican American.
Coming from south of Kalamazoo, Alejandra Garrett, migrant program coordinator at Sturgis Public Schools, traveled more than two hours to see Fox. She and a group of students from her program were able to see the president disembark the plane.
"It's very exciting," Garrett said. "I have never had the opportunity to be that close to the president."
Wrapped in a Mexican flag, Grand Rapids resident Imelda Quintino held up large handmade welcome signs with her husband and two daughters at the Lansing Center. Quintino moved to the United States from Mexico 26 years ago.
"I'm so happy that President Fox visited the United States," Quintino said. "I'm a 100 percent Mexican. My heart is in Mexico."
Several guest speakers took the stage alongside Fox, including Lansing's first Mexican mayor, Benavides. Benavides presented Fox with a key to the city. Lansing has two sister cities in Mexico: Saltillo and Guadalajara. Sister cities help each other by sharing common business and cultural experiences.
Another speaker was MSU President M. Peter McPherson, who offered Fox an honorary doctorate degree. McPherson discussed the opportunities available to students that allow them to visit Mexico through the university's study abroad programs.
"What I'd like to do is get more students going there on study abroad," McPherson said. "Mexico is our neighbor and a good place to learn Spanish."
Marking the first peaceful transfer of power in the country, Fox's inauguration in July 2000 ended the 71-year-reign of the Institutional Revolutionary Party. The un-democratic party dominated Mexican politics by allowing leaders to choose their successors. As a part of the National Action Party, Fox has worked to expand Mexico's economy.
"They were in control of Mexico for a long time," McPherson said. "That alone makes him a great historical figure."
His historical impact reached across the border, touching the later generations growing up in America, Verdoni said.
"No question that this is a very exciting moment," Verdoni said. "This obviously shows that we have a lot of second- and third-generation Mexicans. This shows nationalistic attitude."
