İ Viva Mexico !

Current Politics and Issues

Change since 1980’s

• Toward democracy – multiparty • Economic improvement and liberalization • Rich and poor disparity • Growth of middle class in north• Globalization • Relationship with US

2000 and YA!• Win by Fox in 2000—

peaceful transition of power– Goodbye to “living museum

of history” – PRI faced delicate balance

between need for credible opposition to engage in competition but with no chance to win and actual, level playing field and possible loss of power

– One party system was not good for the legitimacy of the PRI d

– Consequence of Reforms—Electoral Institute, factions within PRI, Zedillo

2006 Election

• Won by Felipe Calderon PAN candidate

• Promised to clean up the drug cartels

• Manuel Lopez Obrador (PRD) claimed election fraud and set up alternative government – wait, is this a democracy?

2012 Election

• Enrique Pen2 a Nieto elected president

• PRI candidate• Manuel Lopez Obrador (PRD)

claimed stolen from him, again…

• PRI in control of the presidency but not the legislature

The telenovela president?

Dynamics of Divided Government

• Inherent problems of a presidential system – Party that

controls the executive does not necessarily control the legislature

National Palace Mexico City –a house divided after 2012 elections

PRI vs. PRD States in 2012Presidential ElectionPRI states in green

20 states

PRD states in yellow

8 states *

PAN states in blue

4 states

*PRD candidate Manuel Lopez Obrador continues to allege irregularities existed that cost him the election

source: electionresources.org

Chamber of Deputies 2012Election Results

PRI in green

240 seats

PRD in yellow

136 seats

PAN states in blue

114 seats

source: electionresources.org

Senate 2012 Election Results

PRI in green

61senators

PAN in blue

38 senators

PRD in yellow

28 senators

source: electionresources.org

Domestic Agenda

• Pluralism • Decentralization • Electoral Reform • Rule of Law (i.e. judicial reform) • Anti-narcotics

• Criminal gangs in Mexico account for 11 of 13 largest drug markets in US

• 39% heroin into USA• #1 supplier of methamphetamine• 93% cocaine into USA• Formation of Federal Agency of Investigation in Mexico

(AFI) in 2002

Election Reform• Campaign finance

restrictions • Critical media

coverage • International watch

teams • Election monitoring

by opposition party members – IFE (Federal Election

Institute)• Despite all this claims

of rampant vote buying in 2012

Political Economy • Import Substitution Industrialization

– Mexican “Miracle” 1950’s and 1960’s

• Neoliberalism – Privatization with Mexican characteristics– NAFTA—pros and cons for Mexico – Maquiladoras – Economic success vs. political success?

More Key Public Policy Issues

• Human Rights

• Corruption

• Social Welfare

• Environment

• Migration

Presidents Obama and Penã Nieto met at theWhite House, November 2012