How Wal-Mart Got Its Way in Mexico

[Hum]

SAN JUAN TEOTIHUAC?N, Mexico ? Wal-Mart longed to build in Elda Pineda?s alfalfa field. It was an ideal location, just off this town?s bustling main entrance and barely a mile from its ancient pyramids, which draw tourists from around the world. With its usual precision, Wal-Mart calculated it would attract 250 customers an hour if only it could put a store in Mrs. Pineda?s field.

One major obstacle stood in Wal-Mart?s way.

After years of study, the town?s elected leaders had just approved a new zoning map. The leaders wanted to limit growth near the pyramids, and they considered the town?s main entrance too congested already. As a result, the 2003 zoning map prohibited commercial development on Mrs. Pineda?s field, seemingly dooming Wal-Mart?s hopes.

But 30 miles away in Mexico City, at the headquarters of Wal-Mart de Mexico, executives were not about to be thwarted by an unfavorable zoning decision. Instead, records and interviews show, they decided to undo the damage with one well-placed $52,000 bribe.

The plan was simple. The zoning map would not become law until it was published in a government newspaper. So Wal-Mart de Mexico arranged to bribe an official to change the map before it was sent to the newspaper, records and interviews show. Sure enough, when the map was published, the zoning for Mrs. Pineda?s field was redrawn to allow Wal-Mart?s store.

Problem solved.

Wal-Mart de Mexico broke ground months later, provoking fierce opposition. Protesters decried the very idea of a Wal-Mart so close to a cultural treasure. They contended the town?s traditional public markets would be decimated, its traffic mess made worse. Months of hunger strikes and sit-ins consumed Mexico?s news media. Yet for all the scrutiny, the story of the altered map remained a secret. The store opened for Christmas 2004, affirming Wal-Mart?s emerging dominance in Mexico.

The secret held even after a former Wal-Mart de Mexico lawyer contacted Wal-Mart executives in Bentonville, Ark., and told them how Wal-Mart de Mexico routinely resorted to bribery, citing the altered map as but one example. His detailed account ? he had been in charge of getting building permits throughout Mexico ? raised alarms at the highest levels of Wal-Mart and prompted an internal investigation.

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[Growled Member]

The secret held even after a former Wal-Mart de Mexico lawyer contacted Wal-Mart executives in Bentonville, Ark., and told them how Wal-Mart de Mexico routinely resorted to bribery, citing the altered map as but one example. His detailed account ? he had been in charge of getting building permits throughout Mexico ? raised alarms at the highest levels of Wal-Mart and prompted an internal investigation.

So apparently the home office had no idea what the local Mexico office was doing.

[*RedBull*]

But what's that going to do to change the offending Wal-Mart? Nothing Gringo.

[Hum]

Bulldoze it ! :woot:

[Growled Member]

But what's that going to do to change the offending Wal-Mart? Nothing Gringo.

Not much you can do now, I guess. If someone tried I'm sure Wal-Mart would just bribe someone else to make it all go away.

[*RedBull*]

Not much you can do now, I guess. If someone tried I'm sure Wal-Mart would just bribe someone else to make it all go away.

fits with what I'm thinking.