MEXICO STUDENT NOTES

1. MEXICO STUDENT NOTES

2. OVERVIEW System of Government: Presidential…just like America, only powers less checked Distribution of Power: Federal System…just like America only states have far less power Electoral System: Mixed System: SMDP and PR Constitution: Constitution of 1917 Legislature: Bicameral - Chamber of Deputies & Senate…just like America Current Head of State: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Head of Government: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador Current Ruling Party: MORENA (National Regeneration Movement) Major Political Parties: PRI, PAN, PRD, MORENA (multi-party)

3. Why Study Mexico? • Constitution of 1917 was model for other progressive movements in Latin America • Longest single-party government in the modern world (1929-2000) • Political system was very stable during 20th century • Political economy is a classic example of the challenges and prospects of the transition from state-led development to neoliberal economic policy • NAFTA – relationship with United States

4. CURRENT POLICY CHALLENGES • CORRUPTION!!! • History of PRI dominance • Drug cartels run the state • Barely functioning criminal justice system • Citizens report less tan 7% of crimes and believe 2/3 of police are corrupt • Unequal distribution of income • Top 1% own over half the wealth • But second largest economy in Latin America • Environmental problems • Mexico City one of the most polluted cities in the world • Catch up to trade partners/competitors • Renovate energy sector • PEMEX • Democratic journey faltering

5. THE MEXICAN STATE • Constitutional republic • Currently: DEMOCRATIC REGIME pero like barely • Formal separation of powers • Federal Presidential • Political centralism – concentration of decision making power in pres. • 31 states and Federal District (like US has 50 states plus DC) ASYMMETRICAL FEDERALISM • Headed by a “president” (like US has governors) • Each divided into municipios headed by mayor and council • Each layer of government successively weaker • Subunits VERY dependent on national gov (funding)

6. POLITICAL HISTORY OF MEXICAN STATE • REVOLUTION OF 1810 • Miguel Hidalgo led rebellion from 1810-1821 • Parish Priest issued a call for the end of Spanish misrule in 1810 • Began a series of wars of independence that lasted for the next 11 years. • Between 1833 and 1855 there were 36 presidential administrations • PorfirioDiaz • A military coup 1876: ruled for 34 years • Dictatorship (authoritarian), stable, industrialization • Foreign influence HIGH (backlash – think about the Shah)

7. CONSTITUTION OF 1917 – STILL IN PLACE! • 1917 Constitution • Current source ofregime and legitimacy • Democratic government, checks and balances, “competitive”elections • Sub soil resources are property of the nat’l government • Power of church limited, foreigners no longer allowed to own Mexican land or mineral resources • Didn’t solve problem of political instability • 1928 President Plutarco Elias Calles • Could not run for reelection under constitution SO to provide continuity from one presidency to another CREATE A POLITICAL PARTY to control nomination and election • CALLES LEGACY: regulated how succession would occur and instituted one party rule

8. ESTABLISHMENT OF PRI • PRI brings all leaders under one big umbrella political party • Bring stability through the idea of “passing around” power from one leader to the next as the presidency changed hands • Sexenios– president could only serve one 6-year term • Other leaders would be given major positions in government to establish their influence • PRI- “institutionalized” the revolution by stabilizing conflict between leaders

9. INSTITUTIONAL REVOLUTIONARY PARTY (PRI) • Creation of Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) (1929) • 70 year reign: the “perfect dictatorship” • State and party merged into one • Single-party controls access to political offices (ALL) • PartidoRevolucionarioInstitucional • Pendulum Theory – back-and-forth effect in Mexican politics from socialist reform to free-market economic development and back again • Maintain power/limit revolution by encouraging loyalty • ***Created stable government, BUT cost social reforms • ***Established firm patron-client relationship Notice how closely this resembles the flag

10. CHARACTERISTICS OF PRI REIGN • Patron-client system (clientalism) – • The “cement of the Mexican system” • Camarilla– a hierarchical network through which offices and other benefits were exchanged • Think about the spoils system! • Network of people that ensures support of individual and party • Politicians use their influence as professors and public officials to promote the careers of their disciples and to expand personal ties vertically and horizontally throughout the public arena • Corporatist – • interest groups are under the broad umbrella of the party • Peasant and labor organizations traditionally

11. PRI DOMINANCE WAS RURAL! • How did PRI Party gain support from these groups??? • THECARDENAS UPHEAVAL (1934-1940) • Cárdenas was handpicked as Calles successor – Cardenas quickly exiled his former patron • Redistribution of Land • From haciendados (landowners) to ejidos (cooperative farms) • He gave poor people land!!! So they were all like we love you <3 besos <3 besos <3 besos and we will reward you by always voting for your party  • Nationalization of Industry (PEMEX) • Produced ¼ of world’s oil; removed foreign firms • Gov built up infrastructure to modern the state • Labor and peasant groups had a seat at the table • State corporatism

12. BIRTH OF PENDULUM THEORY • Party all under one umbrella, but no real platform • Economic development swung from capitalistic to socialist

13. Cardenas and ISI • Cardenas used a strategy of state-led development known as Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI) • Employs high tariffs to protect locally produced goods from foreign competition • Government ownership of key industries (PEMEX) – SOCIALISM • Government subsidies to domestic industries • Government takes the lead in promoting industrialization (very little capital in private hands during this era)

14. STATE-LED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT • Import substitution industrialization • High tariffs, subsidies, economic favoritism, state ownership and management • “Mexican Miracle” - Fueled strong economic growth for 40 years • Oil reserves discovered in 1970s • 1970s-1990s economic crisis • HUGE DEBT – internal and external • Rising inflation • Devaluation of peso • Mexicans supported PRI b/c of strong economic growth • Undermined PRI leverage – helped spur civil society towards democratic reform

15. MOVEMENT TOWARD DEMOCRACY aka DOWNFALL OF PRI • Began to slowly erode starting in 1980s • Multiple events internally and externally • PRI leaders dissident pushed for democratic reform, left the party to form PRD • Electoral fraud 1988 election • New electoral laws • 1985 Mexico City Earthquake • Zapatista movement/reaction to NAFTA by rural peasants

16. MOVE TOWARD DEMOCRACY • Formation of PRD – social justice and populism • 1988 electoral candidate son of Cardenas – allegation so fraud and stuffed ballots • More seats won by opposition parties in Congress • ***revealed PRI could be defeated

17. ELECTION FRAUD • Disqualifying opposition party poll watchers, stuffing ballots, relocating poll places, voter purges, buy/confiscating voter credentials, trucked voters to vote at multiple polls… – sometimes numbers equaled more than actual voters, campaigns funded by tax dollars • Usually won 98-100% of the vote • No penalties cause they’re in charge

18. ELECTORAL REFORM • FEI– 9 people board responsible for ELECTION OVERSIGHT • Outgoing president no longer picks successor • CAMPAIGN FINANCE: • minimum public disclosure of finances and limits • reduced private donations, increased public financing • Elimination of presidential “slush fund” • VOTING BASE: • Traditional older, rural, poor…well, as Mexico industrialized more urban dwellers • Slowly recovering by forming coalitions and demonizing PAN ineffectiveness • ALL instituted under PRI Presidents b/c of continued political pressure from civil society

19. MOVE TOWARD DEMOCRACY • 1985 Mexico City Earthquake led to slow response of government and international community • Led to organizations forming to force government and World Bank to help • Growth of civil society – hundreds of thousands participated

20. ECONOMIC LIBERALIZATION LEADS TO POLITICAL • President Salinas (1988-1994) sold off banking sector (previously state owned) and negotiated NAFTA to lower tariffs and create trade relationship w/ US and Canada • Studies revealed – higher income and education, less likely to vote PRI

21. MOVE TOWARD DEMOCRACY • Zapatista (EZLN) uprising • 1994 reaction to NAFTA and economic liberalization • Amerindians felt disaffected from prosperous mestizo and declared war on the state • ***demonstrated instability • Currently not dangerous • Same year, assassination of PRI presidential candidate • More liberal Zedillo 1994 candidate

22. DOWNFALL OF PRI –ZAPATISTA MOVEMENT • The EZLN’s public emergence exposed serious fault lines in the system. Underneath all the official hype that accompanied Mexico’s signing of NAFTA was a vulnerable rural sector, with thousands migrating each year to the United States to bridge the gap between their aspirations and the reality of the Mexican job market. Not only did the EZLN expose these gaps between the haves and the have-nots, but the movement mobilized thousands of Mexicans, channeling citizen frustration with the semi-authoritarian political system and years of foot-dragging

23. ¡YaBasta! EZLN – aka the Zapatistas Claim to the be the current-day heirs of Zapata’s land-reform revolution in the early 20th century Chiapas state – Many indigenous Maya Rebellion began on 1/1/94 – the day NAFTA went into effect Demanded “jobs, land, housing, food, health, education, independence, freedom, democracy, justice, peace, and a repeal of NAFTA” Movement of indigenous people and part of the wider anti-globalization movement

24. III. POLICYMAKING INSTITUTIONS

25. States = FEDERAL! • 31- Governors Popularly Elected • 6 year term, but can never serve a second term • Every governor from PRI (1929-1989) • President can have Senate remove governor of any State in which law and order cannot be maintained • President then appoints interim governor to finish term

26. III. POLICYMAKING INSTITUTIONS: GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM • Constitution grants president more power than other branches – until late 20th century executive branch dominated • Leg. And Jud. Subordinate to the president

27. III. POLICYMAKING INSTITUTIONS: PRESIDENCIALISMO • President is Head of State/Govt • No V.P. • Current President: AMLO (2018) • Dominant political actor in Mexico for greater part of twentieth century • De facto leader of PRI – chose all candidates = loyalty/control • Possesses broad range of unwritten but recognized “metaconstitutional” powers – concentration of power

28. POLICYMAKING INSTITUTIONS: THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH • Legislative powers • Initiate legislation that was then sent to a Congress controlled by PRI • Make policy by decree • Create administrative/bureaucratic regulations • Formal powers: Initiate legislation, lead foreign policy, create agencies • Informal power: Make policy by decree and through administrative regulations and procedures

29. POLICYMAKING INSTITUTIONS: THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH • The right to appoint the Attorney General • The right to appoint the Attorney General and the Chief of Police of the Federal District • The right to appoint the Secretaries of State and all the members of the Mexican Executive Cabinet • The right to appoint all Mexican Ambassadors • Supreme power over the army, navy, and air force • The power to declare war and peace (with prior congressional authorization) • The power of negotiating foreign treaties • The power to issue decrees • The right to nominate Supreme Court justices • The power to veto laws • The right to introduce bills in Congress for their consideration.

30. NON-REELECTION • Sexenio • One of the few limitations on presidential power • Specifically the president BUT non-reelection across the board • Positives – limits consolidation of power, less election oriented, check on power, new people = new ideas • Negatives – no accountability; good leaders leave office; poorly designed policy; no time for policy implementation; permanent lame duck?

31. RECENT ELECTIONS • 2000 – Vicente Fox • 2006 – Felipe Calderon • 2012 – Enrique Pena Nieto • 2018 – Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador

32. 2012 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION

35. III. POLICYMAKING INSTITUTIONS: NATIONAL CONGRESS • PRI controlled until 1997 – since that time the legislature has exerted influence b/c of divided government HOWEVER mixed member system has yielded a THREE-PARTY SYSTEM and COMPLICATES having a majority in either chamber • High party discipline – get cues from party NOT constituents • Can now be re-elected 2015-present • Senate • Non-re-election • 128 (elected both plurality and PR) • 96 - 3 from each state and 3 from MC • 32 elected proportionally • 6 year term • Deputies • Non-re-election • 500 deputies • 300 plurality • 200 proportionally • 3 year term

36. Elections • Each of Mexico’s 31 states elects three senators, 2 are determined by majority vote, the other is determined by whichever party receives the second highest number of votes • 32 senate seats are determined nationally through a system of proportional representation that divides the seats according to the number of votes cast for each party (128 Senate seats in total) • In the Chamber of Deputies, 300 seats are determined by plurality within single-member districts, and 200 are chosen by proportional representation

37. III. POLICYMAKING INSTITUTIONS: THE JUDICARY BRANCH • TRADITIONALLY under PRI power, just another arm of the party apparatus • 1994 given judicial review by president, 15 year terms instead of 6 years to coincide w/ president, and reduced SC from 24 to 11 justices • *attempt to remove executive control undermined by 8/11 supermajority to deem acts unconstitutional

38. III. POLICYMAKING INSTITUTIONS: THE JUDICARY BRANCH • Rights of Defendants: right to counsel, right against self-incrimination, right to face accuser, right to trial, speedy trial • REFORM: remove past relationship of subordination of court to executive • Adversarial from inquisitorial process 2016

39. LEGAL SYSTEM • Establishing stable RULE OF LAW largest obstacle • Legal system flawed: most police are wanted for criminal activity, under paid, easily bribed • Calderon reforms: education spending/antipoverty programs reduce opportunities for drug traffickers to BUY local support • Decriminalization of small amounts of narcotics • Tighter screening, testing, monitoring of police • Standardized sentencing, penal system form of rehabilitation • ALL COSTS TOO MUCH!