Current Events in Mexico

Modern Political and Economic Events

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© 2010 -Jon Benignus

Mexican Geography

http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/mexico.html

The PRIInstitutional Revolutionary PartyRuled Mexico from 1929 to 2000The President of Mexico only allowed one 6 year termPresident of PRI (and Mexico) appointed successor (next President)Semi-Democratic

Post PRIVincente Fox first non-PRI President– 2001 to 2006

Felipe Calderón president 2006 –2012 2nd non PRITransition to full democracy

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15981920/

NAFTANorth American Free Trade Agreement – Passed in 1993Increased Trade between the U.S., Canada, and MexicoReduced Tariffs (a tax on trade)Has hurt some U.S. industry and Mexican agriculture

Northern Mexico

http://www.infoplease.com/atlas/mexico.html

Northern Mexico & NAFTA

New factories in Northern Mexico called Maquiladoras90% of all TVs sold in the U.S. manufactured in Mexico nowPollution & bad working conditionsBut much better than farming

ImmigrationImmigrants come to U.S. for economic reasons – workU.S. has strict quotas on immigration– Not enough legal

immigration allowedU.S. companies need workers

http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=12332971

DrugsU.S. drug users willing to pay lots of $$ for drugsLaw of supply and demand– Profit margins on

drugs is highLots of drug dealers

http://abcnews.go.com/International/popup?id=1544460&contentIndex=1&start=false&page=4

Mexican police inspect illegal drug tunnel

Drugs IIMexican Drug gangs bring drugs across border into U.S.Drug gangs fight each other– But also kill innocent

people– Most deaths happen

along U.S. & Mexico’s border areas

http://abcnews.go.com/International/popup?id=1544460&contentIndex=1&start=false&page=4

Inside a drug tunnel under the border

Enrique PenaPresident of Mexico– 2012 – Present– Term ends in 2018

1st PRI President in 12 yearsMexico now a democracy– Becoming a rich country

http://www.segundoasegundo.com/images/uploads/pendejo_calderon.jpg