AQ Interviews U.S. President Barack Obama About Trip to Mexico and Costa Rica
On the eve of his sixth trip to Latin America and the Caribbean, President Barack Obama agreed to an interview with Americas Quarterly Editor-in-Chief Christopher Sabatini about his May 2-4 visit to Mexico and Costa Rica. President Obama is using the occasion of his trip to meet with the new Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto … Read more
Monday Memo: Venezuela Elections – Immigration Reform – Guantánamo – Mexican Education Reform – Michelle Bachelet
Top stories this week are likely to include: Maduro narrowly wins Venezuela elections; U.S. Senators to release immigration legislation; Guantánamo prison standoff escalates; Mexican teachers plan more protests this week; Chile’s Michelle Bachelet begins her campaign. Venezuela elections: Venezuelan voters narrowly elected Nicolás Maduro as president on Sunday in a highly contested election in which … Read more
¿Qué ocurre con el YoSoy132?
YoSoy132 nació como un movimiento universitario en mayo de 2012, en oposición a la entonces candidatura presidencial del ahora presidente de México Enrique Peña Nieto. Rápidamente se extendió, no sólo en el ámbito nacional, sino también en el ámbito internacional con la formación de grupos de mexicanos radicados en muchas ciudades del mundo. Los vimos … Read more
Mexico’s First Lady among the best dressed… and that’s about it for now
In a recent online article, Vanity Fair mentioned Angélica Rivera –wife of Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto–among the top-10 best dressed first ladies in the world. The piece was innocent enough and not unlike the lighthearted articles usually included in this publication. And yet, the article caught wildfire and was highlighted in Mexico’s mainstream media … Read more
Mexico: No Country for Old Tourists?
Mexicans are used to hearing this: “in spite of the violence and insecurity, the Mexican economy is booming and attracting foreign direct investment.” After a recent visit to Monterrey, even Thomas L. Friedman wrote for The New York Times about this in “How Mexico Got Back in the Game,” providing a positive outlook on Mexico’s … Read more
Peña Nieto Launches Life Insurance Program
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto followed through on a campaign promise yesterday by launching an innovative life insurance program designed for single, female-headed households. The program, titled Seguro de Vida para Madres Jefas de Familia (Life Insurance for Female Heads of Family), will be overseen by the Secretariat of Social Development (Sedesol) and the Family … Read more
La nueva presidencia y los derechos humanos en México
El nuevo periodo presidencial en México abre con un pesado legado de amenazas a los derechos humanos. Ante esta situación, el presidente entrante, Enrique Peña Nieto, ha sido cuidadoso de tomar una retórica distanciada de aquella del combate al crimen organizado enarbolada por su predecesor Felipe Calderón y ha proclamado una nueva era de “Estado … Read more
Mexico’s Supreme Court Ruling a Step Toward Greater Tolerance
If there is one thing Mexico’s men are famous for, it is the celebration of being macho. We see this everywhere: In telenovelas, the butch and handsome male protagonist becomes the hero only after he conquers the lovely señorita by wooing her with his macho chivalry. It is common to hear traditional male fathers telling … Read more
Un nuevo “Quinazo”: La caída de Elba Esther Gordillo
En los primeros días de su presidencia, Carlos Salinas de Gortari dio un golpe espectacular al conseguir la encarcelación del entonces todopoderoso líder del sindicato de los trabajadores petroleros, Joaquín Hernández Galicia, conocido como “La Quina”, a quien se acusó de diversos delitos del orden federal. Al asunto se le llamó popularmente “el quinazo”. Sin … Read more
Mexico’s New Government Faces Ongoing Security Problems
Early last month, Mexico’s new government published its first report on the drug-cartel related violence that continues to affect the lives of residents in many parts of the country. The report explains that during the first two months of Enrique Peña Nieto’s presidency, Mexico experienced more than 2,000 organized crime-related murders. The country tallied 1,139 … Read more
A Window of Opportunity for Education in Mexico
On Monday February 25, having achieved the needed support in Congress, President Enrique Peña Nieto put into effect an education reform that will transform the public education system at its core. If enacted correctly, the reform will allow the country to take important steps forward and proactively tackle one of its most relevant social issues. … Read more
Profile: Patricio Villareal
Mexican entrepreneur Patricio Villareal has discovered something most of those opposing health care reform in the United States could never imagine: making basic health care accessible and affordable can be a profitable business. In 1994, Patricio and his brother Ricardo co-founded Imagen Dental, a company that provides world-class dental, optical and hearing services to middle … Read more
Peña Nieto’s Reforms Take on Teachers’ Union
Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto signed major education reforms into law on Monday, limiting the power of the teachers’ union. By modifying two articles of the constitution, the overhaul allows the government to hire and fire teachers, and aims to gather reliable data on schools, teachers and students in Mexico’s education system, which serves an … Read more
Tequila Sunrise for Mexico’s International Affairs
For generations, world leaders looked to the United States for consent before approaching Latin American leaders. U.S. presidents James Monroe and Teddy Roosevelt threatened to make war if external powers sought to interfere in Latin America—and European powers, for the most part, followed the script. The tradition continued after World War II and throughout the … Read more
Las Reformas Estructurales Que Urgen en México
En los últimos sexenios los políticos mexicanos han hablado constantemente de las “reformas estructurales” que el país necesita para modernizarse y progresar y que, por supuesto, casi nunca concretan. Hablan de la reforma política, la reforma educativa, la reforma laboral, la reforma electoral, la reforma energética y otras más igual de importantes. Y en efecto, … Read more
