Mexico has come into global limelight because of US President Donald Trump’s tough immigration policy and the building of a wall against the southern neighbour. There was also a national and international outcry against the separation of Mexican children from their immigrant parents at the US border. The Presidential election in Mexico consequently assumed special importance. Mexico had been ruled by the principal political parties alternately. But this time there was a sea change. A wave of populist anger fuelled by rampant corruption and violence led to the landslide victory of leftist leader Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador who is now the President. Mexico is Latin America’s second largest economy but is saddled with pervasive poverty. Drug cartels poison society. That causes the dominance of the local Mafiosi. Law and order is severely mauled. Obrador’s victory has inspired millions of common people with new hope while the nation’s elites are down with trepidation. He also creates a vision of bringing an end to globalisation in Mexico which he says has apparently been detrimental to the nation’s interest. Obrador will of course have to meet the challenge of the two established parties.
Obrador has promised to improve relations with Trump. Trump’s immigration policy is fuelled by his gut anti – Mexican feeling though that should not cause concern in Mexico. But his tariff on Mexican steel and aluminum will weaken Mexican economy as will the US President’s hostile stand against the present free trade concept. Obrador’s leftist stance may hamper foreign investment as well. It would be well for Obrador to study the situation before taking radical steps with the economy since a sudden shift might affect Mexico more than it would the US and its other trading partners. Change is what all newly elected leaders promise their constituents. It was the promise of change that made people elect Narendra Modi in 2014. But four years down the line there is more disappointment than hope in the Modi Government. All this goes to prove that change in governance structures requires several things to come in place, most of all the country’s bureaucracy, for they decide whether or not to deliver the public goods. Obrador might like to look around at the examples of some of the world’s functioning democracies and which see what they are doing right although there are not many in that league.
