The Presidency Head of government and state. One 6-year term (sexenio) Mexico’s government= Presidential System

Presidential Powers VIRTUAL DICTATOR UNDER PRI Initiate legislation – All legislative ideas were passed Issue decrees Authorize new expenditures Appointed a large number of officials – Patron-Client system (CAMARILLAS) – Tasked to implement his ideas Named his successor (DEDAZO) – Changed in 2000 – All parties have primaries

Struggles of Fox and Calderon LEGISLATIVE PAN presidents did not have a legislative majority. President’s initiatives often blocked. BUREAUCRATIC PRI bureaucrats had all the experience Couldn’t fill all high-level positions with experienced PAN. Kept many corrupt PRI

Mexican Legislature BICAMERAL Upper House: Senate – 128 seats – Six-year term Lower House: Chamber of Deputies – 500 seats – Three-year term Can only serve ONE TERM – Lack of legislative expertise

Mexico’s Electoral System MIXED MEMBER PROPORTIONAL VOTING (MMP) 1964: Proportional introduced Chamber of Deputies (500 seats) – 300 SMD (FPTP) – 200 Proportional 2% THRESHOLD PARTYNUMBER OF SEATS PRI207 PAN114 PRD100 Green34 Labour19 New Alliance10 Convergence16 CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES:

Mexico’s Electoral System 32 States (Including federal district of Mexico City) Each has 3 senators Each party presents a list of two candidates. Winning party gets 2. Second place gets other seats are proportional. PARTYNUMBER OF SEATS PRI52 PAN38 PRD22 Green9 Labour4 Convergence2 New Alliance1 SENATE:

Bureaucracy Based on Patron-Client Network – NOT merit-based 1 out of every 5 Mexicans works for government (heavily PRI). – Loyal to bosses in the network. Process for securing a passport in Mexico.

“HOW PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION ELECTIONS WORK.” Douglas J. Amy

JUDICIAL BRANCH Federal and State Courts Supreme Court – Power of Judicial Review (seldom used) – President nominates – Senate approves – Serve one 15-year term Becoming more independent

2008 Judicial Reform CHANGES TO JUDICIAL SYSTEM

“Presumed Guilty Sheds Light” 1.Describe several of the “rights of the accused” citizens enjoy in the U.S. that are NOT protected in Mexico. 2.Mexican civil society is pressuring the government to end the violence in society. According to the reading how does this pressure impact the police and the courts? 3.What is the conviction rate in Mexico? – U.S. conviction rate is approx. 80%

“Presumed Guilty Sheds Light”

Mexico: Federal System Thirty-One States Federal District (Mexico City) Each State: – Constitution – Governor, legislature, and judiciary – Struggles to raise revenue

Interest Groups Corporatism Neo-Corporatism Slowly developing of a separate Civil Society PRI Era: Co-optation – Assimilate groups into the government – Labor, business, peasant organizations Changes – PRI loss of power means more independent groups finding a voice

Mexican Media Most of 20 th Century – Little criticism of PRI – PRI “rewarded” sympathetic press and penalized critics. 1980s to Present – Increasingly independent – Multiple major media outlets Wide range of opinions and debates

Open Net Initiative

Mexico and the Catholic Church 80-90% of Mexicans are Catholic SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE 1917 Constitution: Anti-Clerical – Reaction to Spanish influence. Elites feared power of the Church – Church could not possess or administer property. No Catholic schools – Church officials deprived of political expression and vote. – State could determine the number of priests per region. – Cannot wear religious garb in public. 1992: Amended to remove anti-clericalism

“Juarez Drug Wars.” Religion and Ethics Newsweekly

Mexican Military Up to 1930, military leaders dominated Mexican politics. PRI era instituted a civilian-controlled military. Today, military is heavily involved in drug wars. – Some concern about corruption Does not intervene in Mexican politics

Mexico: What Type of Regime? Authoritarian in 20 th century under PRI. Which of the following apply to Mexico TODAY? RATE MEXICO IN THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES (5=Excellent; 1=Poor) Political Rights and Civil Liberties Competitive Elections Rule of Law Civil Society Civic Culture Capitalism Independent Judiciary Civilian-controlled Military EMERGING/TRANSITIONAL DEMOCRACY From Illiberal to liberal democracy