Mexico: Government & Politics

December 1, 2000 – Vicente Fox became President Why is that important? –For the first time in 71 years, the President of Mexico did not represent the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) –Fox is from the National Action Party (PAN) –The other major party in Mexico is the PRD

PRI rule was called the perfect dictatorship. Why? Conflict was limited to internal struggles within the party. What about those who disagreed? –Dissenters were co-opted with promises or just repressed! What does this mean? So why the change?

Mexicans questioned the right of the PRI to monopolize political power Wanted fairer elections, more responsive public officials Demanded the right of opposition parties to compete with the PRI on an equal basis Said the president had too much power and the PRI was corrupt Not ready for change in 1994 when Ernesto Zedillo (PRI) easily won, but by 2000 they had had enough In the last three decades, reformers wanted Mexico to have a market-oriented economic system to replace the state-dominated one, but… So why the change???

But, it caused problems for citizens New policies and economic crises affected people adversely. How? Incomes fell, bankrupt businesses, jobs lost, services cut But Fox stuck with these policies, resulting in… More inequality. The elites are richer, but four out of every ten Mexicans live on less than two dollars a day. What are the implications of this for the U.S.? Given this inequality, why has there been no revolution in Mexico?

Mexican Geography

Over 110 million inhabitants makes Mexico the second largest country in Latin America Largest Spanish speaking country in the world Over 70% live in urban areas Mexico City has over 20 million people

Borders – U.S. – 2000 miles, Guatemala – 600 miles, Belize – 160 miles Migration is a major issue; economic opportunities in the industrial cities of the north lead many men and women to seek jobs in the maquiladoras, or assembly factories. Some go on to the U.S. Problem repeats in reverse in the South, as poorer Central Americans look for jobs in Mexico.

Mexican History The Porfiriato (Porfirio Diaz) The Revolution of 1910 –Reformers end the dictatorship Constitution of 1917 –Guaranteed agrarian reform, social security, right to organize in unions, minimum wage, eight hour workday, universal secular education, adult male suffrage. Women do not get the right to vote in national elections until Lazaro Cardenas –Land reform –Established the tradition of the sexenio –Nationalized the oil industry - PEMEX Pancho Villa (right) and Emiliano Zapata meet in Mexico City to discuss the revolution.

More Mexican History From clientelism to oil –PRI and Patronage –Oil in the Gulf of Mexico/ Fluctuating prices Crisis and Reform 1982 to the present –Presidents Miguel de la Madrid ( ) and Carlos Salinas ( ) introduce major reversal of the country’s development strategy, limiting the government’s involvement in the economy –From import substitution to neoliberalism

More Mexican History Crisis and Reform 1982 to the present –NAFTA – 1993 –Economic crisis of 1994 and bailout –Mexican economic reforms –Rebellion in Chiapas 1994 –Assassination of Luis Donaldo Colosio (1994), PRI candidate for President, and Jose Francisco Ruiz Massieu, secretary-general of the PRI. –Election of Fox (PAN) in 2000 –Election of Felipe Calderon (PAN) in 2006, narrowly defeating Lopez Obrador of the PRD –Election of Enrique Peña Nieto of the PRI

Recent Presidents Vicente Fox (PAN) Felipe Calderón (PAN) Enrique Peña Nieto (PRI)