| | |  Editorials | Opinions | April 2009 
The Two Faces of Mexico
 Erick Prado - Boston College Heights
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 |  | Mexicans are struggling to create a better country. The country is an attractive place for foreigners who either want to travel to the gorgeous colonial towns or the delightful beaches on the coast. |  | | |
Mexico is a key country that is involved in the American culture in different ways. For example, Mexico is one of the most important trading partners for the United States. Over the previous decades, Mexican workers have crossed the border due to lack of opportunity in Mexico and to seek a better life in America. During the last three months that I have lived here, I found newspapers' sentiment mainly negative toward news devoted to Mexico. I will mention some of the negative news that is part of the country; also, I will mention that the whole country does not have the same face. There is another Mexico that you may or may not know, but it surely exists. Even though news is the first source of information that can give you the actual situation of our country, if you look beyond the news, you will find that there are positive results in some parts of the country.
Since the first day in office, Mexican President Felipe Calderon has had a heavy hand against drug traffickers and organized crime. Our country has experienced a crime wave that is isolated mainly in the north of the country. Since 2006, nearly 9,000 people have been killed by violence linked to Mexican drug cartels. In a recent visit, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton claimed that this war is due to factors in both countries. On one hand, the power of drug traffickers in Mexico has been increasing over recent years due to corruption and weak law enforcement. Meanwhile, the demand for drugs in the United States has grown steadily.
Another important issue in the Mexican agenda is the cost of the international financial crisis. The Mexican peso has devalued 40 percent against the dollar during the last eight months. The Banco de Mexico, in an effort to strengthen the peso, has sold millions of dollars of international reserves since October of last year. Furthermore, the bank's forecast is that as many as 340,000 people could lose their jobs due to the current economic global recession. Some investment banks have predicted the economy could contract as much as five percent.
Although this is the kind of news you might read in the newspaper about Mexico, not everything about Mexico is like that. From my perspective, there is another face of Mexico, a face that is hard to find because you have to live there to believe it. In many Mexican states, the situation is quite better. An example of this is the State of Mexico, which is governed by the PRI (Revolutionary Institutional Party). The governor, Enrique Peña, proposed a list of actions when he was elected in 2005. So far, he has accomplished 386 of his 600 campaign commitments. These commitments, rather than focusing on insecurity and politics, have been re-addressed to economic and social issues. Overall, people are contented with the performance of Enrique Peña. Although concerned about difficult times, given the policies implemented by the administration, his state dwellers have hope that the economic plan intended to boost the state economy will continue to work.
Mexico is better positioned now to face the international crisis than they have been in the past. The Mexican government has become less corrupt and more transparent since Mexico left behind the hegemony of the PRI. During PRI's tenure presidencialismo (the concentration of powers under the executive branch) used to be the predominant way to impose rules and make decisions from top to bottom of the Mexican political system. Calderon's presidency has achieved a series of reforms (Pemex and ISSSTE) that will enhance the situation of the country for the following years. In addition, society has actively participated against injustice and violence. Just one year ago there was an enormous demonstration in Mexico City and other main cities which gathered millions of people who cried out for a stop to violence.
Mexicans are struggling to create a better country. The country is an attractive place for foreigners who either want to travel to the gorgeous colonial towns or the delightful beaches on the coast. Mexican people are welcoming and willing to show that there is also a place of peace and kindness in this land. I encourage you to get your own perception of Mexico.
Mexico is a country that is having difficult times as we can see in the news, but there is optimism that things will get better in the future. There is no doubt that Mexico is in the middle of a war against the organized crime and drug traffickers. But it isn't fair to say that the entire country is being affected by this war. There are some states that are striving to get ahead. This fight won't be worthless when we have a better and safer Mexico than the one we have today.
Erick Prado is a Mexican exchange student from the Universidad Iberoamericana. |
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