Latin American poltics.

Question 5 Module 4 -Part I.pdf

Question 5 Module 4 -Part 2.pdf

Outline

• Mexico 1. Colonial Period 2. Independence 3. Post Independence 19th century 4. Mexican Revolution 5. Post revolutionary Mexico (1930’s-1980’s)

Map of Mexico

Colonial Period

• Mexico was part of the Viceroyalty of New Spain. • Mexico was an important territory for Spanish

empire. It was rich in mineral resources. • Mexico had a huge indigenous population.

Independence

• Mexico’s independence had two phases 1. 1813-First proclamation of independence. It

was crushed by the Spanish army. 2. 1821-Second proclamation of independence. It

succeeded.

Post Independence

• Once Mexicans achieved independence from Spain, Agustín de Iturbide created an empire and appointed himself as Emperor.

• de Iturbide invited the other territories of the former Viceroyalty of New Spain to join the empire.

• The empire will last from 1822 until 1823 when de Iturbide was forced to leave power. Mexico will become a republic.

Post Independence

• With the establishment of the republic, Mexicans experienced political instability.

• Two political groups clashed: Conservatives-believed in the promotion of

aristocratic ideas and the protection of the rights of the military, elites and church.

Liberals-believed in a restricted democracy and in reducing the power of the military and church.

Post Independence

• First half of 19th century-Some important Mexican political leaders

1. Guadalupe Victoria: 1st president of the republic.

2. Antonio López de Santa Anna dominated politics from 1833 until 1855.

Post Independence

Mexico lost a big portion of its territory due to the Mexican American war. • 1835 Texans rebelled and declared

independence from Mexico. Mexican troops (led by Santa Anna) tried to crush the rebellion and succeeded in the Alamo but later failed in the Battle of San Jacinto.

• 1845 Texas was incorporated by the US.

Post Independence

• Mexicans saw annexation of Texas as an act of war by the USA.

• Dispute between USA and Mexico over border. • President James Polk sent troops to Mexico and

Mexicans counterattacked. • Mexican American War started. • Results of the war: US paid Mexico 15 million

dollars and took the entire territory from Texas to California. It was half of Mexico’s domain.

Post Independence

Second half of 19th century: Reforms, Monarchy and Republic -Various Liberal governments enacted a series of

sweeping reforms. 1. Abolition of military and ecclesiastical “fueros”-

special dispensations exempting military and clerics from having to stand trial in civil courts.

2. Prohibition to ecclesiastical and civilian institutions of ownership of property not directly used in day to day operations.

3. Transfer of power of registry from Church to

Post Independence

• In reaction to Reforms- War of reforms (1858- 61)-Conservatives vs. Liberals

• Liberal leader Benito Juárez deepened reforms through decrees.

• After years of fighting, Juárez’s army defeated the Conservatives. Juárez became President in 1861.

• Juárez’s government faced bankruptcy and declared a 2 year moratorium on Mexico’s foreign debt. European creditors will be upset.

Benito Juárez

Post Independence

• Monarchy -French Emperor Napoleon III sought to expand

his empire and launched a 5 year war of occupation in Mexico.

-After ousting Juárez, Napoleon, with the help of Conservatives, installed Ferdinand Maximilian as Emperor.

-Juárez’s troops resisted the Monarchy and pushed the French away in 1867.

Post Independence

Restoration of the Republic • Juárez was President during 1867-72. • Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada succeeded him. • Porfirio Díaz overthrew Lerdo de Tejada. (Lerdo

wanted to be re-elected).

Porfirio Díaz

Post Independence

• Porfirio Diaz’s dictatorship (1876-1911) -He was the power behind the throne when he

placed puppet presidents -Diaz’s policies:

1. He achieved political stability. He used military and police.

2. He amended the constitution to be re-elected. 3. Under his government, Mexico achieved

impressive economic development. -But, the majority of Mexicans remain poor.

Mexican Revolution

Mexican Revolution started with a division within elite • Francisco Madero opposed Díaz’s dictatorship

and ran for president against him in 1910. • When Madero lost, Díaz ordered his arrest. • Madero’s arrest inspired many Mexicans to rebel

vs. Díaz. • Under pressure from different groups, Díaz left

the country in 1911. • Madero is elected President in 1912.

Francisco Madero

Mexican Revolution

• Madero and his followers began the Revolution. Later on ,they could not control it.

• Two revolutionary leaders had other goals: 1. Emiliano Zapata led a movement of peasants

without land. They wanted land! 2. Pancho Villa led a movement initially composed

of small ranchers, unemployed miners and cowboys. They wanted jobs!

Mexican Revolution

• Madero was killed by his military chief of staff, Victoriano Huerta.

• Huerta (1913-14) wanted to become a dictator like Porfirio Díaz.

• A third revolutionary leader will be Venustiano Carranza. He will lead an army vs. Huerta. His group wanted political reforms.

• Carranza, Villa and Zapata vs. Huerta.

Mexican Revolution

• Huerta resigned under pressure of the United States.

• Carranza was elected President in 1917. • Military troops killed Zapata (1919) and Villa

(1923). • Under Carranza, a group of delegates wrote the

1917 Constitution. It contained revolutionary elements: rights to workers to get organized, all sub soils belonged to Mexico, president can not serve two consecutive terms, reduction of role of Church in education, and restoration of

Mexican Revolution

• Alvaro Obregón ordered the murder of Carranza. • Obregón becomes president from 1920 until

1924. • Obregón transferred power to Plutarco Elías

Calles (1920-24). • After Calles’ term expired, Obregón ran for

president and won in 1924. Obregón was killed by a religious fanatic.

• Calles returned to the presidency and stayed in power from 1924 until 1928.

• Calles created an official party, the National

Mexican Revolution

• Lázaro Cárdenas (1934-40) -First president chosen through the official party. -Cárdenas’ policies: 1. Distribution of land to peasants. 2. Expropriation of American oil companies. 3. Reorganized and renamed the official party.

Social groups tied to party. New name: Party of the Mexican Revolution.

Lázaro Cárdenas

Mexican Revolution

• Cont. Cárdenas’ policies 4. Presidency became the primary institution of

the Mexican political system. Like a “king” for 6 years.

5. Presidential candidate from official party was chosen by top leaders within party. “Dedazo.”No primaries.

6. Official party had monopoly on media. -Political system was partially democratic-

competitive elections but not free and fair.

Post Revolutionary Mexico-PRI’s PAX (Peace) and “Perfect Dictatorship”• After 1940, Mexican Revolution will be over. • The official political party’s predominance in

politics will bring peace and stability. • Mario Vargas Llosa called it the “perfect

dictatorship.” • Even when presidents came from the same

party, they will lean to different sides of the political spectrum.

Post Revolutionary Mexico

Manuel Avila Camacho (1940-46) -Center right • Cárdenas chose a more conservative candidate to

protect his radical policies from a backlash from the right.

• Under his presidency, Avila made an agreement with US President Roosevelt to allow Mexican workers to work on US fields during the war period.

Post Revolutionary Mexico

Miguel Alemán (1946-52)-Center right • Reorganized and renamed the official party New

name: Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) • Invested in infrastructure • Increased protection against imports • Economic growth

Post Revolutionary Mexico

Adolfo Ruiz Cortines (1952-58) • In attempting to reduce inflation, Ruiz Cortines

devalued the Mexican peso and set a fixed exchange rate. Devaluation helped to increase Mexican exports.

Post Revolutionary Mexico

Adolfo López Mateo (1958-66)-Center Left • Nationalization of US and Canadian owned

electric companies and the US controlled motion picture industry.

• Constitutional Amendment to guarantee opposition parties a minimum of Congressional seats if they win a minimum % in national elections. Thanks to this change, other smaller political parties (PAN and PPS) won congressional seats in 1964.

Post Revolutionary Mexico

Gustavo Díaz Ordaz (1964-70)-Center Right • Massacre of Tlatelolco-Government repressed

student mobilizations during the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico. Hundreds died and many more injured. Repression sent a message to the population: if you protest, you would be repressed.

• Economic growth 6%

Gustavo Díaz Ordaz

Post Revolutionary Mexico

Luis Echevarría (1970-76) Center Right • High inflation rates. 20% (1973). Mexican

products were less competitive in the international market. Mexican goods were based on 1954 exchange rates. Peso was expensive. Echevarría devalued the peso. This was the end of a powerful economic and political symbol.

Luis Echevarría

Post Revolutionary Mexico

José López Portillo (1976-82) • Under his presidency, Mexicans discovered vast

quantities of oil. Oils exports increased. Economic growth.

• Petro dollars caused inflation. López had to devalue the peso.

• After 1981 oil prices in the international market declined. López had to take loans.

José López Portillo

Post Revolutionary Mexico

• Cont. López Portillo -Electoral reforms: new and easier rules to register

political parties and 100 seats for the opposition in an expanded 400 member Chamber of Deputies.

Post Revolutionary Mexico

Miguel de la Madrid (1982-1988) • Financial crisis-Mexico could not pay foreign

debt. Causes: oils prices went down, high interest rates of debt, and capital flight (rich Mexicans were taking money out of banks fearing problems with the economy.)

• US and International Banks rescued Mexico with a loan package. Price of help: Mexico had to adopt an austerity program. For example: reduce public spending, selling public companies, reduction of tariffs.

Miguel de la Madrid

Post Revolutionary Mexico

Cont. de la Madrid • Mexicans faced a deep recession. Real wages fell

40%. Living standards fell with the end of public spending (ex. Subsidies).

• 1986 Mexico took another loan package • 1986 Increased the number of seats in the

Chamber of Deputies distributed by proportional representation from 100 to 200. Allowed for increase of opposition.

• 1988 Inflation rates 143%. Domestic capital market crashed. 75 % drop in Mexican stock

Post Revolutionary Mexico

1988 Elections . Big test for PRI rule • Economic crisis translated into more votes to

opposition political parties. • Main opposition political parties: right wing

National Action Party (PAN) and left wing Revolutionary Democratic Party (PRD).

• Carlos Salinas de Gortari won by 50.3% of the total vote. Very low outcome for Mexican standards.

Conclusion

• Characteristics of 19th century Mexican politics: political instability, reforms monarchy, republic restoration and dictatorships.

• Revolution had a major social, economic and political impact in Mexico.

• “Perfect dictatorship”: PRI dominated Mexican politics until the end of the 20th century.

present 

Introduction

• Carlos Salinas de Gortari 1988-94 • Ernesto Zedillo 1994-2000 • Vicente Fox 2000-06 • Felipe Calderón 2006-12 • Enrique Peña Nieto 2012-present

Carlos Salinas de Gortari

Carlos Salinas de Gortari

• He continued and extended the economic  strategies initiated by de la Madrid.  He lowered  trade barriers and privatized state owned  companies. 

• Economic results: reduced annual inflation to  20-30% and annual growth rate of 3.1% in 1989.

Carlos Salinas de Gortari

• Electoral reforms -1990 Creation of the Federal Electoral Institute 

(IFE) formally independent of the government  but still under control of the Ministry of Interior  with majority PRI representation.  

-1993 Introduced minority representation in the  Senate. The senate doubled in size (128). 

-1994 IFE remained under control of the Ministry  of Interior but other members were non partisan  citizen representatives elected by parties.  Allowed international electoral observers. 

Carlos Salinas de Gortari

• Under Salinas, Mexico joined the North  American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). It  was a trading and investment regional bloc  between the US, Canada and Mexico. 

• Mexico was a “first world country”?

Carlos Salinas de Gortari

• Two challenged vision of Mexico as an advanced  country.

1) On the day that NAFTA went into effect (Jan. 1,  1994) the Zapatista National Liberation Army  (EZLN), a guerrilla movement, emerged in  Chiapas. The Zapatistas opposed the trade  accord, Salinas’ economic model and the  undemocratic character of the system. They  demanded rights to indigenous communities  and social justice. 

2) The assassination of Luis Donaldo Colosio, the 

Carlos Salinas de Gortari

• 1994 Elections Salinas picked Ernesto Zedillo as the PRI 

candidate.  Results of 1994 elections:  -Ernesto Zedillo (PRI) won by 48.8% -PAN 26% -PRD 16.6%

Ernesto Zedillo

Ernesto Zedillo

• Mexico had a deep recession.  ▫ Why? Investors withdrew money (10 billion 

dollars in one week) from Mexico because they  were expecting a devaluation. In response, Zedillo  devalued the peso. It lost more than half its value.

Near collapse of the economy. Mexico was able to prop  up its economy through a multi-billion-dollar loan  from the United States and prompt action by the  International Monetary Fund. In return, Mexico   pledged some of its future oil revenues. 

Ernesto Zedillo

• Zedillo worked to implement the economic  austerity measures that had been a condition of  the U.S. financial bailout and continued efforts  to privatize state-owned petroleum and  transportation enterprises

Ernesto Zedillo

• Zedillo broke away with the traditional impunity  to presidents and their relatives for changes on  corruption.  ▫ He sent Salinas into exile (Salinas started to 

criticize Zedillo's economic policies) ▫ He ordered the arrest of Salinas' brother, Raul 

Salinas, on charges of corruption. 

Ernesto Zedillo

• In 1995 Zedillo replaced the country’s entire  Supreme Court—which then began to rule  against government agencies on a regular basis— and picked a member of the main opposition  party to be his attorney general

Ernesto Zedillo

• 1994-96 Peace negotiations with Zapatistas.  • 1996 Zapatista representatives and the Mexican 

government signed peace accords that aimed to  address the issues highlighted by the Zapatista  rebellion, such as the need for increased political  participation and local political autonomy for  indigenous peoples. However, the Zapatistas  later broke off negotiations with the government. 

Ernesto Zedillo

• 1997 Electoral reforms -First election for the mayor of DF (previously 

appointed by President since 1928) -Opposition had greater access to free media. -IFE is totally independent. Head of IFE is a non 

partisan citizen. -Limited private source of campaign funding.     -Placed Electoral Tribunal under the Judicial 

branch, no longer under Executive control.

Ernesto Zedillo

• 1997 Legislative and municipal elections -PRI control of the legislature was eliminated, 4 

opposition parties holding the majority of seats  in the Chamber of Deputies. 

-PAN major beneficiary of the anti PRI vote. 

Ernesto Zedillo

• NO DEDAZO.  First PRI Primaries.  To make the  PRI more democratic and revive the party’s  political fortunes, President Zedillo relinquished  his right to pick the next PRI candidate for  president. PRI held the first presidential primary  election in Mexico’s history. In the election, open  to all registered voters in Mexico, Francisco  Labastida Ochoa overwhelmingly defeated three  other candidates to win the party’s nomination  for the July 2000 presidential election. 

Ernesto Zedillo

• 2000 elections Francisco Labastida  (PRI) 36%  Vicente Fox  (PAN) 43% The first time the PRI had not won the presidency 

since the party’s founding in 1929. During the  2000 elections the PAN also became the largest  party in the Chamber of Deputies, and the PRI  lost its majority in the Senate.

Transition to democracy!

Vicente Fox

Vicente Fox

• Challenges: -A political system that has been dominated by the 

PRI. -PAN did not control Congress, needed to 

negotiate with other parties. -Human rights violations by PRI -PRI corruption -Legalization of status of illegal immigrants in 

USA

Vicente Fox

• Plans for Immigration Accord (amnesty and  temporary work visas/guest worker program to  solve the problem of illegal workers in USA)  could not materialized due to  9/11. 

Vicente Fox

• Human Right policy -Fox’s government created the Special 

Prosecutor’s Office and  the Commission of  Human Rights. The Commission is dependent  on the executive, which has exercised control  over its budget and named its president. 

Vicente Fox

• Obstacles for Cases on Human Rights Violations:  -The Office has neither effectively provided a new 

version of the atrocities committed under the  authoritarian regime, nor being able to punish  those responsible for the violations.

-When courts have granted arrest warrants, the  judicial police (dependent on the Executive  branch) has been unable or unwilling to enforce  the arrest and the accused remain at large.

-Several repression events and many  disappearances go back to more than thirty years 

Vicente Fox

• Crime rate has increased.  -Kidnapping. Police allied with criminals. Problem 

of safety. Citizens do not feel safe. -Drug cartels have become more powerful.  

Vicente Fox

2006 Elections-Presidential Candidates   Felipe Calderón (PAN) 36.69% Manuel López Obrador (PRD) 36.11% Roberto Madrazo  (PRI) 22.72%

Another victory for PAN. According to the Federal  Electoral Institute,  Calderón won by a small  margin( 0.56%) López Obrador declared that he  won the elections.  Crisis of legitimacy for  Calderón.  

Felipe Calderón

Felipe Calderón

• Challenges: -Deepening democratization  -Fighting crime. Especially Drug Cartels -Economic Development

Felipe Calderón

Foreign policy:  • Calderón expanded the Mesoamerican 

Integration and Development project/Puebla  Panama Project (regional integration initiative)  to include Colombia and an agreement of  cooperation vs. organized crime.

• Calderón proposed the Mérida Initiative-a  security cooperation between the United States,  Mexico and the countries of Central America to  combat drug trafficking and transnational crime.    

Felipe Calderón

• Immigration Reform: In 2008 the Mexican  Congress passed a bill decriminalizing  undocumented immigration into Mexico.

Felipe Calderón

Domestic policy  • Made a Tortilla Price Stabilization pact with 

tortilla producing companies. Price ceilings on  tortillas.   

• Set a cap on the salaries on the President and  cabinet ministers. 

• Created the Office of Social Aid for Victims of  Violence.

• Trying to implement a universal health care  system. 

Felipe Calderós

• Increased and cleaned up Federal Police,  enlisted the service of army to fight vs drug  cartel and criminal organizations.

Enrique Peña Nieto

2012 Elections-Presidential candidates

Enrique Peña Nieto (PRI) 38.2% Andrés Manuel López Obrador (PRD) 31.6% Josefina Vázquez Mota (PAN) 25.4%

Enrique Peña Nieto

Enrique Peña Nieto

Energy: • Energy Reform bill approved by Congress in 

December 2013. It open up Mexico’s  hydrocarbons sector to foreign investment for  the first time since 1930’s.  

Enrique Peña Nieto

Security issues:  • Peña Nieto’s priority is to reduce violence 

(murder rates, kidnappings and extortions)  rather than attacking Mexico’s drug trafficking  organizations.  

• Peña Nieto’s government created a National  Police also known as “gendarmerie.”   

Enrique Peña Nieto

• Critique to Peña Nieto’s security policies: ▫ Too much talking about strategy but not enough 

on content.  ▫ Peña Nieto has said little about crime and 

violence. It seems that he wants these issues to  disappear from public discussion. He has  emphasized talking about economic reforms.

Enrique Peña Nieto

• Victory for his security policies: Joaquin “El  Chapo” Guzmán, leader of the Sinaloa Cartel,  was arrested in February 2014 in Sinaloa,  Mexico

Enrique Peña Nieto

• The biggest humiliation to Peña Nieto’s security  policy was when Guzmán escaped from prison  (for the second time),  in July 2015, by exiting  through a tunnel that led to a nearby  construction site.

• His two escapes have symbolized institutional  failure and corruption in Mexico.

El Chapo’s escape

• http://www.cnn.com/2015/07/15/world/mexico -el-chapo-escape/ 

Enrique Peña Nieto

• Peña Nieto announced the recapture of “El  Chapo” by Mexican authorities following a  shootout on 8 January 2016.

Enrique Peña Nieto

• Recapturing Mexico’s most wanted man was a  boost for Peña Nieto’s government.

• However, his administration faces the following  challenges: ▫ Plunging currency ▫ Falling oil price ▫ Public distrust in institutions and government. ▫ Rule of law is in crisis ▫ Levels of violence continue to be high.

Conclusion

• Mexican political system has changed since  1980’s

• PRI does no longer dominate political system • Electoral reforms have allowed opposition to win 

seats in Congress, governorships, mayoralties,  and presidency.

• Transition to democracy culminated in the 200  elections.

• Mexico has an imperfect democracy with many  challenges.