By Ravi Agrawal, CNN
Editor's note: Ravi Agrawal is senior producer of Fareed Zakaria GPS. The views expressed are his own. This was originally published in September 2012 and re-posted as Mexico's President-elect Enrique Pena Nieto meets with President Obama on Tuesday.
Here’s some trivia. Which of these countries has the highest average income: India, China, Brazil or Mexico? If you guessed Brazil, you’d be wrong. And if you guessed India or China, you’d be way off: even if you combine the incomes of the average Indian and Chinese you wouldn’t reach the $15,000 annual purchasing power of the average Mexican.
These numbers don’t fit with many people’s perception of America’s southern neighbor. Mexico, you see, has a PR problem. A quick Google search for news from Mexico throws up a set of results that usually includes the words violence, drugs, cartels, and migrants (or the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico). But it’s not just the international media that seems to have it in for Mexico’s reputation. Mexicans themselves seem woebegone. A recent Pew survey found that only a third of Mexicans think they have a good national economic situation. Compare that with half of Indians, 65 percent of Brazilians, and 83 percent of Chinese. Or let’s go back to average citizens: 52 percent of Mexicans think they have a good personal economic situation, but for Indians, Chinese, and Brazilians, those numbers rise to 64 percent, 69 percent, and 75 percent respectively – and that’s despite the fact that in purchasing power terms, Mexicans actually earn more per capita than citizens of all three of those countries. And, unlike the others, Mexico’s growth rate is actually rising.
Indeed, Mexico’s economy has a number of strengths. It is the 14th largest in the world. If you take into account purchasing power, it is the 11th largest economy – larger than Canada, Turkey, and Indonesia. It is projected to grow 4 percent this year, and even faster in the coming decade, a rate that the financial services firm Nomura says will lead to Mexico overtaking Brazil as Latin America’s biggest economy within 10 years, despite the fact that Brazil’s economy is currently twice as large.
Still, there is a weakness in Mexico’s growth, as I saw for myself when I was there last month: the money hasn’t been trickling down. According to the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, Mexico has the highest rate of poverty among the group’s 34 member nations. If you consider inequality, the OECD ranks it the second most unequal, with only Chile more unequal.
So although the headline numbers might surprise, Mexico presents something of a mixed bag. Yet this hasn’t deterred investors taking a growing interest in this Latin-but-North American country. In a special report on investing in Mexico, the Financial Times went as far as to call its macroeconomy “virtually bulletproof.” Move over BRICs – Brazil, Russia, India, China – it’s time for the MISTs – Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea, Turkey.
Part of Mexico’s appeal to investors is tied into what I think may be the country’s key weakness: inequality. You see, at the lowest-end, labor remains cheap. The Economist points out that in 2003, Mexican pay was three times China’s rates; now it is only 20 percent higher. So Mexican manufacturing is poised for a boom. And while in the past few years Mexico banked on its proximity to the U.S. (lower transport costs) and trade deals like NAFTA to compete with China, it will now be able to manufacture and price products at an advantage.
The big question, of course, is whether the export dollars will trickle down. But making this happen will require significant market reforms. In his recent book "Breakout Nations: In Pursuit of the Next Economic Miracles," Morgan Stanley’s Ruchir Sharma points out how the top 10 Mexican families account for more than a third of the country’s stock market value – an almost unheard of number. “Private cartels produce about 40 percent of the goods that Mexicans consume and charge prices that are 30 percent higher than international averages,” he writes. “Phones, services, soft drinks, and many foodstuffs cost more in Mexico than in the United States.”
One thing is clear – Mexico is not the war-torn wasteland it is often made out to be. Its people have a glorious history, and a hopeful future. This isn’t to say that Mexico is destined to be the next investment hotspot – that’s far too simplistic a way of looking at this. Instead, the numbers suggest the truth is somewhere in between. Mexico has enormous capacity to surprise on the economic stage. But to really shine, it needs to work on developing a vibrant – and bigger – middle class.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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Ravi needs to take a vacation to a border town and report back to us after a couple of weeks. Mexico doesn't have a PR problem. Mexico has a drug mafia problem. Perhaps Ravi needs to witness that up close and personal before he continues blowing smoke about Mexico's "bright future".
I agree that PR is not the main problem but, the US has bigger drug and mafia problems. Look at the numbers, in 2011 there were 37,485 deaths in the US relating to drugs, in Mexico a little over 12,000, even with the US having a larger population the percentage is much higher.
Mafia problems are also worst here even though people dont talk about it. Mexican cartels are not bringing drugs in to the US to sell to other Mexican cartels, they are selling to American buyers. Look at the percentages across the Nation of people getting arrested on drug charges (distribution, sales, use), they're the citizens of this country. Look at the whole scenario before putting all the blame on one side of the border. Stop buying and the supplier goes out of business.
If you look at the CORRECT numbers and actually used the same metrics, it's a much different picture than what you depicted. The 37,485 figure you provided is the total number of drug related deaths in the US, not drug violence deaths. That figure is from junkies overdosing and other drug USE deaths. The 12K figure you stated for Mexico is drug violence related and it is only from January 2011 to September 2011. If you look at the full year, the number is quite a bit higher – 15,273 in 2010.
Relative to overall populations, the number of drug use deaths in the US is about the same as drug violence deaths in Mexico. Yes, there's a problem with both, but you can directly control one type of death (drug use), the other can be completely out of your control (drug violence). There's a lot of collateral damage in drug violence. That combined with the rampant corruption in Mexican law enforcement is enough to keep me from visiting Mexico again in the foreseeable future.
If the drugs weren't brought into the US, Americans couldn't buy them or use them.
Amen!
We ARE the problem. If we stopped consuming the drugs in this country, there would be no need for the cartels and violence. Ending this starts with ending demand, and that's OUR problem to tack – not Mexico's!
Olmec, If you are going to spout numbers, you should check them first. The US population is about 3 times the size of Mexico's. The other numbers are about 3 to 1, just like the population, and you use numbers that don't relate to each other. So your total comment is hog wash. Did you have a point?
People that want drugs will get drugs. It is not Mexico's job to supply drugs to the U.S. or any other country. It's driven by greed and easy money. The whole argument about the drug war being the fault of the U.S. is incredibly lame.
Inequality in Mexico has much to do with nepotism and cronyism. In Mexico, one normally needs connections to get access to business opportunities and have things done. Powerful families control the country's wealth and cartels control the trafficking of drugs from South America to the US, a business that is worth an estimated $13bn a year,
The richest person in the world is Carlos Helu. Thanks to his monopoly in Mexico, he has been able to surpass billionaires living in first-world countries. Mexico's economy is centered around the wealthy, and ignores the problems of the millions of citizens living in poverty. This maldistribution of wealth is just one of many factors that fuels the increase of drug cartels. The American consumers demand illegal drugs, and Mexicans take advantage of the opportunity to make a nice little profit. The wealthy Mexicans never get their hands dirty, and never put themselves in the middle of the drug business. Yet, they are not stupid and find ways to get a slice of the pie. The country of Mexico is wealthy, but most of its money is not earned honestly.
I visit Mexico all the time. There's more fun down there, beautiful beaches, night clubs, beautiful people, nice architecture. Things I just can't get in the US. Get out some more people! enjoy life! don't be a douchbag, take a trip!
Excellent Comments. U.S. ciitizens are the biggest drug addicts in the world. Mexico's economy is the 14th largest in the world. It does not effect investment. The biggest drug lords are in the USA. Keep feeding the americans drugs and the drugs will continue to flow. Look at the real picture. Not inuuendos.
Have YOU ever been to Mexico? It sounds like Ravi did his research...you just sound like a bigot, with no clue.
well Olmec is using a Mexican name and he says "here" so maybe he is living or has been to Mexico...I have lived in Mexico...they told me not to drive out on rural roads at night...but other than that it was not a bad place at all ...downtown Cancun is very "Old World"...no refrigeration in the stalls that sell meat...great people where I lived...drugs were around but no mafia that i could discern...I lived there about 20 years so it may have changed a bit.
Yes, we have been to Mexico, fool. Many Americans have been to Mexico many, many times. It has always been a poor, backwards county throughout history. It is getting worse, in some ways. Who is to blame? Mexicans. Especially their leaders. Graft, corruption, poverty. Sounds like Chicago, huh? Illegals, go back to Mexico. When you get there, stay there and fix your cesspool. There are good people and bad people everywhere. Who is in charge in Mexico?
In Mexico does exist a really problematic situation with the drug cartels but as usual the americans got a quite unrealistic point of view about it. The violence in Mexico is internally focalized in some some states,is internally focalized because is a subjetive narration about those states situation,in very few words the violence in state of Mexico or San Luis Potosi is not perceived in the same way than in Queretaro or Mexico City. Those four states got borders within the Federation but their narrative about the useless war on drugs not only differs is even antagonic. As a mexican chilango middle class my subjetive narration is clear and simple; I shall not travel to the northern states because is a dangerous trip,in the other hand i have a really good relation with people living in the border,so is my perception vs their perception. So quoting "Al Quijote de la Mancha": "I sometimes think that all you tell me of knighthood, kingdoms, empires and islands is all windy blather and lies"
the question is.. have you ever been to Mexico? It is a rich country. Have you ever gone to La Condesa.. Lomas Verdes... Interlomas, etc etc etc... I bet you haven't. YOU really don't know what you are taking about. I do understand that there are places that look like the world's poorest place. But you are just using a microscope, there is a lot more of Mexico than people realize. Let's just put it this way. The richest man in the world is not Gates, Buffet, etc. Its Carlos Slim. Mexican entrepreneur who lives in Mexico. Would he live in a rat hole?
And you're not a bigot? Mexicans are worse bigots than Americans, you hypocrite.
Oh yes, because the entire population and country of Mexico exist at the border. It's like saying the rest of the country is dangerous based on NYC crime statistics.
Go back to school you dolt.
I spent a year living in a Mexican town 1 hour from the border. We were treated great. We had a doctora that was incredible and came to the house for $20 and spent up to three hours. She once refussing money because she eat a piece of pie. Drug dealers are bad and there are more murders in the US then in Mexico. We buy the drugs, use the drugs and sell the guns to be taken across the border. The border zone on Az is desert and a small population but have three gun stores for ever mile of border. The reason for the stores is often to make money selling guns to go across the border. Hate is easy to generate but is often undeserved.
So who is buying guns in Arizona and illegally transporting them accross the border? Mexicans! Who is allowing this cross border traffic to flow? Gutless politicians like Obama, who is, I guess, part Mexican, based on his immigration actions recently. Haven't we BOUGHT Mexico yet? Just add it to our bill, and leave a 10% gratuity.
This problem was with us before Obama ever took office. In fact, you had six consecutive years where Republicans ran all three branches of government. And they were pretty gutless about it, also. What actions have current Republicans taken to get this matter moving forward and resolved? Eh?
What Ravi means is that there is not only violence in Mexico, there are a lot of other cities in Mexico, where the people work hard and honest and that there are alot of opportunities to invest in the country, which now has the best macroeconomic scenario of its entire history.
Jorge,
Its not about the Mexican people, especially the poor. Almost every traveller who gets off the beaten path in Mexico meets with courtesy and kindness. With a genial population, how can the country be so screwed up? Answer that and you will be on the way to a solution.( HINT: It is not the USA's fault and don't blame Bush either if you want to get at least partial credit. The word Mexican should appear in your answer.)
I live in Phoenix and I know there are more affluent, safer areas in Mexico. I spent "Thanksgiving" on the Navajo Nation, and I GUARANTEE there lots of spots in Mexico that compare favorably.
Who cares? America is slowly turning into Mexico anyway. And no one is doing anything about it.
The country is much bigger then just "La Frontera." Maybe you should also not generalize an entire country on one small area sample. Yes the border has its problems but it is not representative of the whole country, in many ways it is much more like the US when compared to Mexico. Should somebody visiting skid row say that is what America is like?
And I suppose you have been to Mexico right? Maybe you are the one that needs to come and see for yourself. I've been living in Mexico City for the last 37 years and I haven't witnessed any of the "brutality" always described in US news. Actually it's a very nice place to live. Don't believe everything you see in the news, they make it look like if it was a Mad Max set.
Yes it is a PR problem for the Mexicans, P (Puerto) R (Ricans) can live here legally while most Mexicans are here illegally!
Hey moron – PR is a US territory. BTW – they want to become the 51st state.
Afghanistan supplies 90% of the world's opium, look it up, the U.S. media certainly doesn't report it. The U.S. has drones and the world's most powerful army stationed in Afghanistan, if they can kill a Taliban hiding in a cave in the mountains why don't they wipe out the opium fields? There certainly seems to be a double standard when it comes to the "War on drugs", maybe it's because so many jobs depend on it in the U.S.?
I live on a border town. What's the problem again? What I live everyday does not reflect what you speak of. It did a couple of years ago, but here in one of the biggest bi-national borders in the world (El Paso-Juarez), things are quickly, and happily returning to normal.
LOL...I agree with your comment, however; I also think that Mexico has the potential to rise and shine but to do so, They need to start working on their main problem, which is the cartel and then, they can develope a "vibrant – and bigger – middle class" I also believe the Mexican Government need to stop their arrogance and accept the fact that they need international help in order to eliminate the cartel and then Mexico can become a safe vacation spot once again; a country in which people will consider for retirement; a country in which to invest on and the list goes on and on.....
One can always count on americans blindfolding themeselves in order preserve that "confortable-feeling" that they love so much and cannot live without. This "confi-feeling" requires the knowledge that nothing has really changed and therefore I'm not required to adapt, to a reality that was previously unknown to me, in any way.
These americans, however in the minority, still believe that the DEA operation "Fast and Furious" was actually an operation "aginst" the drug cartels. These americans go out of their way to refute that the the drug cartels in Mexico are only subsidiaries to American drug cartels that actually branches off deep into American federal goverment. These people ingnore the fact that it is in the best interest of the american foreign policy to preserve the drug-war in Mexico.
By this time, some of you are calling me a "conspiracy-theorist" which is always the go-to response of those "confi-feeling" americans. It is not a conspiracy if it's proven, however denied. If they would only aknowledge the data.
'Comfi-feeling" American? Catchy...
Bluejeans you are so full of it. Hopefully your children won't think backwards as you do pal. Mexico is a great country, I have always visited, I visit, and I will continue to visit Mexico, and of course when i retire I plan to move definitively to Mexico. Don't be jealous of a great country, I guess your parents never let you discover other parts of the work, I am sorry they kept you isolated under a rock.
Yeah Mexico has a PR problem! I don't EVER want to go there! I might get jacked or something.
Yeah, stay here in the States, things like that are un-heard of here.
Maybe not, but at least here, the POLICE won't kidnap you!
No, the police here will only kill you if you're homeless and mentally challenged.
But you might get Jilled!!
Many of these comments are from people who haven't visited Mexico, for shure, maybe because you dont have the money to go outside of the US, o because maybe you are just too ignorant to do reaserch and are misguided by the sensationalist news. It is hypocritical to say that Mexico is a violent country, there are more deaths for violence in the US than in any other country in the world. You worry about mexicans, labeling them as dishonest, and violent, Mexico has the most hard working people I've ever met, since Felipe Calderons presidency we have carried out a war against crime, because the cartels (who sell you the goods) were becoming too powerful. This war has left 50,000 deaths. In case you didnt know, the war in Iraq has left 1,033,000 casualties, but it is better to send your troops, to start wars in other countries that having it in your own country right? They send your troops with all-american spirit just to take advantage of smaller countries, that IS VIOLENCE. In case you didnt know, there are 31 states in Mexico, violence is situated in only Chihuahua, Guerrero, Nuevo Leon, and Baja California. US citizens.. do your reaserch, you must have income to buy books, or they dont give you those on credit?
Does Mexico have a PR problem? I don't know, does Puerto Rico have a Mexican problem?
"AVERAGE" INCOME , TOP TEN FAMILIES, PRIVATE CARTELS, NAFTA , TRICKLE DOWN MONEY MEXICO PR PROBLEM ONLY A PROBLEM BECAUSE IT'S TRUE . ASK ANY MEXICAN (LEGAL OR NOT) LIVING IN THE USA
Mexico may have a PR problem.
However, it has a neighbor with a drug problem.
What the drug lords are doing is supplying it's neighbor with its demands...
Supply CREATES long-term demand with drug addiction. When cartels move into an area, they flood the streets with cheap drugs for awhile, pushing kids at schools and other locations to 'try it' for free sometimes, to get people hooked. Then they sit back and reap the profits when the addicts come back for more. Eliminate the supply, the addicts will withdraw and a whole generation of demand is eliminated or drastically scaled back.
Don't try to put the blame somewhere else.
The U.S has have a drug problem since the 60's when they were provided by asian countries, then South America, then the Caribbean and now Mexico.
DEMAND creates OFFER and SUPPLY, pure capitalist thinking.
So quit the crack already if you don't like the names.
Cartels sell it to American buyers and they move it in to the neighborhoods. How many times do you find cartels selling on a street corner or at your schools?
I think Norte and Joe are both right here. It makes sense for the drug sellers to provide a massive supply so that people can get addicted, creating a long term demand, but now that the demand exists I think any solution to the drug problem is going to have to address both sides. The supply may have come before the demand but since the problem now includes both halves of the equation, a solution should address both as well.
Mexico has a drug problem, but it was created by the United States. As long as americans do not address the enormous demand there is here for the drugs, the drug cartels will continue to exist and create huge problems for both countries. The PR problem comes from not making clear that the drug problem was not created by us, but by the United States.
As long as there is demand for a product, somebody is going to sell it . Unfortunately we are next door and the ideal conduct for the drugs to come in.
There is NO PROBLEM...people like drugs....In the wise words of Rick James "Cocaine is one hell of a drug".
So what, we invaded their country and forced them to grow narcotics? Would you please grow up? We did not force that country to choose drugs as its chief export. THEY did! They saw an open market and took advantage of it. Their current situation with these cartels is of their own making. Get real.
This is just another case of simple economics, the laws of supply & demand. They have the supply and the US has the demand. Isn't that what US businesses do every day? Can you say Wally World!?
No kidding. Nobody FORCED Mexico to become the main conduit for drugs into the US. They just want someone to blame for allowing themselves to become ruled by drug cartels.
You're blaming the whole country of Mexico for the actions of a relative few Mexicans.
I remember well the talk from Mexico and Columbia too, back in the 1970s and 80s when the issues were emerging. I recall clearly many times from varying sources that said that their intent was to flood the U.S with drugs like cocaine and marijuana. They said that they wished to kill the soul of the white nations by filling their children with drugs.
PC requires we forget and/or ignore such things. I remember them well.
BIGOT.
It's people like YOU who are dragging America down into your own personal sewer.
I could guess that you are both white and right-wing. It's where your ilk tends to cluster. More like-minded company there, don'tcha know?
I'm also white, raised in a VEDDY, VEDDY Republican suburb. And I know how people like you think. I know you of old.
I also know you and your ilk are NOT good Americans, because you're against everything meaningful that America stands for.
Bigots like you are inadequate personalities. We already have far too many of those. Your racism only makes you slimy. More inadequate. And your comments are proclaiming it.
This is the popular thing to say, but it was Mexicans who "turned on" Americans to most of those drugs, especially marijuana. They were using it all along in Mexico. In fact, the 1913 revolutionary song, La Cucaracha says that the nation's leader, Diaz "drank too much tequila and smoked too much marijuana. The Pachucos (a 1940s-50s gang) brought marijuana into the U.S. for sale. Moreover, until it was made illegal in the 30s, marijuana was legal. I have a collection of American Boy magazines, one of which actually has an ad for marijuana sales via the mail.
The larger thing is that for a long time now, the third largest income source for Mexico has been remittances from the U.S. by Mexicans working here.
The tekeelya was what got Diaz. Don't blame it on the weed man, that sheet ain't funny.
Oh poor boy!, you were dragged into drugs and you were so inocent that you could do nothing to avoid it.
If you (Northamericans) were to teach your children not to start with drugs, there would be no demand and no supply either. Let's assume just for a moment that the problem lays in mexican cartels, and let's also think issue is solved and no drug will get the US from Mexico. In this scenario, there will still be a strong demand and any other country but Mexico will supply the US, even the US itself. STOP blaming Mexico for your drug "issues".
Colombia managed to stop being a narco state even as America's consumption of illegal drugs did not decline. It took some help (which we gave them, since unlike Mexico, they weren't too proud too accept it), a national will, and a disinclination to look for scapegoats. Mexico has a long history of blaming all its failures on America, and is simply going to have to realize that it can't wait until Americans all go cold turkey on pot and cocaine to get rid of its narcotraficantes. Mexicans can sit on their hands and blame America all they want to, but how's that working out for them?
Sorry but Mexico do not produce Snow !!! it still a product from Colombia
Blame Canada!
The Toronto area has basically the same climate of Kabul. We could buy our smack from Canada.
Dollars do not tell me much: what is their actual disposable income and what is the cost of their average product basket? They might not doing that well compared to average Brazilian, Indian or Chinese if their cost of living is much higher than for these countries.How big is the difference?
And as mentioned in the article: the averages overall might be quite deceiving. Each family having a chicken for a lunch or half of the people having nothing and another half having more than they can chew: statistically is the same!
Great. Then maybe they'll stop coming here illegally in droves.
They are actually going back to Mexico in droves right now. The south western states have passed some pretty harsh laws and they are going back. On a side note, food prices mysteriously go up.
Up until now, the third largest factor in Mexico's economy has been the remittance of U.S. currency into Mexico by Mexicans working here. I've read that now the Mexican middle class has grown and Wallmarts are everywhere, along with the big box stores we have had here. This recently caused me to realize that many poorer Mexicans are really economic nomads with an abiding loyalty to Mexico and their particular tribe.
To stop the drug problem on both sides of boarder:
(1) Give law enforcement the tools to apprehend dealers.
(2)Have trail for drug dealer.
(3) Dealer to be hanged if convicted.
(4)Put on 10 ft. step ladder atop of his BMW.
(5)Have auction for BMW.
(6)Winner gets to drive car away.
(7) Repeat steps 1 thru 6 until no one is willing to sell drugs.
Problem solved.
May not work but is a good start.
You forgot 1 thing....Tell Mexican and American governments to stop supplying cartels with weapons.
Good Call. Missed that.
I think it's a simpler answer: force companies to pay Mexicans what their labor is actually worth so they don't have to rely on illegal "extracurricular activities" to continue to feed their families.
Mexico doesn't have a PR problem. Mexico has a money problem. 30% of the country's wealth is concentrated in the hands of a dozen families. Add another 100 families and you probably have over 50% of the country's wealth, and another 1000 families gets you over 70% of the country's wealth. That's around 25% of the country's wealth going to 99% of the country.
The only way that Mexico becomes an affluent country is if they get a strong middle class. The only way they get that if the top families are willing to give half of their assets to the government for government programs. I don't see that happening.
How does the USA compare? We have 30% of the country's wealth going to the bottom 80%. At the rate we're going, with our growing inequality, we're heading to where Mexico is now.
You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. Hey, the election's over. You can stop mindlessly regurgitating nonsensical propaganda now.
Actually, the situation is even more inequitable than what Eli Cabelly says. According to the research of Edward N. Wolff, an economist who specializes in the study of wealth distribution and related issues at New York University, the least wealthy eighty percent of the people in the U.S. own only fifteen percent of the wealth. Eli Cabelly's figures might pertain to U.S. distribution of income rather than of wealth. We've got a truly major problem of inequality in our country, despite the fact that it's the people who work for the least who work the hardest.
Mexico has a revenue problem. property taxes for the rich too small. They need more infrastructure that is for sure. The poor have little options. they come to feed there family. you risk my life speeding or doing drugs or drinking and driving for much less reason.
Problem South American illegals are sending Millions back home while draining social systems in all 48 states dry and not paying into our social welfare system. Yes I know we have many takes who are not illegal they are in my family also. But this drain with out any "Money" being put back in is part of the bottom 80% Eli Cabelly is talking about.
Bluejeans, et al. . . No, no, no, you all missed the point of Ravi's article. He is discussing economic issues. I'm a retired American and I've lived in Mexico for several years. The weather is perfect here all year and my US dollars go a long, long way. If you are in the drug business, then yes, you might have a target on your back here. It is all about turf wars and for those of us who live here we see it more as "thinning out the heard". For me, I fear much more going to Chicago, LA, or Detroit than any border town in Mexico. Those of us here are notified occasionally by the embassy of US State Department "Alerts" for various areas of Mexico, but we never ever hear of the "Alerts" for the Chicago's, LA's, etc. where the crime rate is much higher than here. You just allow the headlines from Mexico grab your attention. And as for the economy in Mexico, Ravi is correct. The country needs a bigger middle class and it will come with time. The economy is growing everywhere here. I've heard others say the growth rate will be more like 4.5% in Mexico this year. What are the projections for the US? More like 1.5% ! So, as an old guy who has chosen to move here, for many reasons, I would invite those who have a narrow view of Mexico to put on their big boy pants and come for a visit . . . You will certainly expand your horizons. Irish. . .
Nice that someone knows what they are talking about. I lived in Mexico City years ago and I loved it!
Mexico is a beautiful country with lots to offer. I am Mexican American first generation, my parenting emigrated to the US in the late 1950's. I was born in Arizona and grew up vistiing Mexico every summer of my life visiting my relatives.
Mexico is beautiful and jas many natural resources, she has always been possesed by other countries through her history. It is unfortunate that headlines about the drug war are the only things that people believe.
Every country has bad and good and Mexico is not any different, I just believe she does not get a fair shake because there is so much racism, very sad. If everyone who is hateful could get past that hate and clear their minds and hearts we could figure out a way to fix alot of the problems that we see and hear about....thank you Irish for you words.
"Poor Mexico, so far from god, so close to the United States" (Porfirio Diaz, dictator of Mexico from the 1880's until the revolution in 1910 made him flee.)
He was DRUNK when he thought that one up. I like it.
Those numbers don't sound like a recipe for investment. Rather, they make me think we sitting north of a ticking time-bomb. This is just the sort of things that turns into violent revolution. On the one side, you have wealthy 'legal' cartels and on the other you have wealthy 'illegal' cartels. Drug money from the U.S. funds the 'illegal' cartels at nearly the same rate that the government can tax. Wow. That level of inequality paints a bleaker picture than any 'war torn wasteland' rumors could ever match.
Ah a news story from CNN's favorite terrorist.
Doesn't Mexico have a PR problem? Yes! What a silly thing to write about. People disappear (and get chopped into pieces) regularly and the "police" and "government" are apparently powerless to stop it. I would be embarrassed to live there. Right now Mexico could easily be considered one of the most ineffective governments in western society.
haha you are so full of it. get a life!
if they are doing so good why the hell are we giving them 1.4b a year for the war on drugs???
To keep the prisons full? Just guessing. I give, what is the answer?
it's a two country problem fool
As a business man who does business in Mexico, BORDER towns don't represent all of Mexico. Almost all border towns around the world are rough-yet economically booming. Business prospects are great but the big monopolies have to be broken up. A tough job for Mexico's new supreme court. If you watch news, you are not only afraid of Mexico, your probably afraid of your own neighborhood. I never watch that garbage.
With hard-core drugs, supply CREATES long-term demand with drug addiction. When cartels move into an area, they flood the streets with cheap drugs for awhile, pushing kids at schools and other locations to 'try it' for free sometimes, to get people hooked. Then they sit back and reap the profits when the addicts come back for more. Eliminate the supply, the addicts will withdraw and a whole generation of demand is eliminated or drastically scaled back.
You know zero about drug addiction. Did you study by watching "Dragnet"? The prized drug consumer is a wealthy white person. Nobody peddles drugs at schools as kids have no money. Addiction is a disease. The only dope here is you.
Mis-conceptions is GOOD!!! The less Mexicans the less chance we have of them sneaking into the US!!!!!!!! Hahahahahaha
HAHAHAHAHAHA you need to go back to school HAHAHAHAHAHA poor caveman
I'm sure there are very nice, perfectly safe areas of Mexico to visit. But I'm not going to jet down there and look around for them.
Were they Caucasian half of these racist and furious responses would not exist. Here in my border town we see Mexico as our neighbor and most of her problems are the result of 200 years of American theft, meddling and narcotic addiction. When will America grow up ? We whistle past Mexico as it is a graveyard that frightens un instead of a preview of coming attractions.
I CERTAINLY HOPE MEXICO IS NOT A PREVIEW OF COMING ATTRACTIONS. ALTHOUGH, WITH A CONTINUED INCREASE IN THE POPULATION OF THE US WITH PEOPLE OF MEXICAN HERITAGE ( BIRTH RATE,IMMIGRATION,MIGRATION) YOU MAY BE CORRECT.
America grew up, its Mexico that never did. Just like so many countries in this world, the Mexican people have been screwed by the rulers. USA, USA, USA!
Badbobthealbino get a life dude, you embarrass the American people! that's your way of thinking and I am sorry for you. You probably got punked in school many times and you want to take out your frustration via blogs
I don't like the use of average income to make this point. The richest man in the world lives in Mexico and he's worth $69 billion. Simply distributing his wealth to all 112 million Mexicans already gives them more than $600. Take a look at the median income and you might find a very different story.
What is it now 30,000 plus dead in 6 or 7 years. Not in the U.S. but south of the border. Cops killed daily, reporters killed almost daily, children killed daily. In the U.S. in the past 7 years maybe 200 drug related killings not tied to border. YOU DO THE MATH. Someone in the goverment is making "VERY MUCH MONEY Si"
Yes but if you really research you'll see that nearly 40,000 drug related deaths in the US in 2011. Our major cities have more crime then they're major cities. We have cops, women, children, elderly people being murdered every day as well. The US government supplied weapons to the cartels and "lost" them, that is no secret. It looks like the US is also making "Mucho Dinero".
I don't know where you got those numbers from, I think you are so full of it. =). Get a life dude!
Mexico is Interesting. What I care about is this: I am a type 1 diabetic. My feet were going to be amputated. until I found a simple way to stop that from happening. if you are a diabetic you need to read saveyourfeetDOTwordpressDOTcom
Kudos for Ravi article, you have to reside in both countries to truly voice the truth. We Canadians & Americans who reside in Mexico ( many other foreigners too!) know the bottom line, the United States, needs to clean up their own back yard of the Druggies or legalize it! When I return to visit my home in Los Angeles, it is a must to know who, where, why of my surroundings, there are many Ugly Americans, as Mexicans in Mexico. Go for a ride, open your newspaper, take your head out of the box and view what has become of our dearly beloved Country, the United States of America, it has become a Banana Republic.
No surprise here – the world's richest men lives in Mexico – Carlos Slim (although he's technically not Mexican)
Carlos WAS born in Mexico, his father was not, so technically yes he is Mexican.
You have a point for.... I don't know, why is this important?
carlos slim is 100% mexican, always has been
Doesn't help when these pro illegal groups and supporters, like the article below about "persecuted" Mexicans who had to return to- gasp- MEXICO! These writers on CNN are the worst when it comes to trashing Latin American countries. Oh no they can't go back they must stay in the US or they will suffer, how cruel to send them back and blah blah blah. For the record, I spent half my childhood in South America and went to school there, the country I lived in was gorgeous. I've been to Mexico a few times, it's a beautiful country with wonderful people.
AND WHERE DO YOU LIVE
we're going there in few months. Did you feel safe? I know that's a weird qiotsuen but w/ all that's going on in Mexico I was just curious. We were there about 15 yrs ago and remembered the military guys at the airport .
Those PR problems are the creation of the If It Bleeds It Leads lame stream media.
The drug problem is just a fallacy created by the media on both sides of the border.
So I suppose all those drug related deaths, were also caused by the media?
Yeah sure!, don't forget to turn off the tv when you are done learning about thin tinny little issue created by the media. By the way, all those corps were Crash test dummies.
I love Mexico. I lost count of the number of times I've been there. Great country with great people, just like here. Just like everywhere.
Most Mexicans, like most Americans, are playing by the rules. They work, provide for their families, and play when they have the extra time or money. All countries and people are this way. To say that the majority of a nation is "bad" or "evil" is unrealistic.
Unfortunately, the bad guys don't play by the rules, so they are hard to beat. The good guys have a moral code and are much more confined in the way they struggle against evil. It's that way everywhere.
It's easy to get ahead by cheating. But to play by the rules and get ahead is far more satisfying and worthy of respect.
The U.S. and Mexico would both be much better off if we had done them a favor and kept their territory intact after 1848. Not by not annexing what we did, no. By annexing the whole place. They would have somewhat less corruption and a somewhat more equitable society. Instead of "taking the part with paved roads", as I have heard that Mexicans sometimes joke about, we could have helped them pave the whole thing. There was actually a movement here for a while advocating that course of action after the war. It is said that returning combatants had little enthusiasm for the plan or the place, though, which kind of discouraged the "All Mexico" bunch. One more negative would have been how to apportion the territory with regard to slavery; that was a big issue with new lands in general at the time and the part we did annex caused enough problems along those lines politically.
Mexico has two different populations as we have here.Everything is not equal there either. Every country has its haves and have nots..Mexico was not inhabited by Spaniards in the beginning. Both of our countries original inhabitants get the short end of the stick.
It's kind of hard to determine where the "beginning" really is when it comes to human migration. It's becoming clear that people started coming here at least 15,000 years ago rather than 12,000 or whatever the previous figure is. It would be hard to believe that successive waves of migrants didn't take land from prior ones even back then. It certainly worked like that in other places and times long before that, and will keep on happening in the future. The southwestern U.S. provides a current example of irresistible migration. No natural barrier and a disparity of wealth or well-being will cause people to migrate come what may.
the problem with Mexico is the real drug cartels are invisible because they are runned by and influenced by rich likes of those from Hollywood actors and CIA agents. secondly most of Mexican government officials, police force and military are infilitrated by CIA agents who keep eye on those who report any sort of crimes or testify against drug cartels and activity. that is why the voilence in Mexico will never disappear because the American government and it's agencies want the control of drug flow, just like they have done in Afghanistan and else where. the CIA use all sort of torture method and violence to make it look like local gangs carrying out these crimes while it's not the local gangs.
MOST AMERICANS WHO HAVE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT MEXICO HAVE NEVER BEEN THERE, PLAIN AND TYPICAL AMERICAN IGNORANCE, TOO MUCH TV
I suppose it's better to be an American with misconceptions about Mexico than a Mexican who believes those things are misconceptions because they've never been outside of Urban Mexico to see for themselves.
Amen to that Erick
You are wrong.
I have been there more than once.....bla bla bla...
And by the way , AMERICANS are the Brains !
And the Number One .....
Thank You !
With all of these great things going on in "Mess -i- co", why in the hell is it that Americans are left footing the bill for millions of illegals who are in this country. Please somebody, TELL the illegals about all of the great benefits that are awaiting them just by self-deporting BEFORE THIS COUNTRY GOES FURTHER DOWN THE THE TUBES!!! (And I don't want to hear about how much taxes they pay. ) If they were paying only a fraction of what has been lied about, we will not be in the predicament we are in financially. So bad that the stability of the middle class is threatened and we are resorting to holding the well to do hostage and giving them grief over what they have earned. No, I do not envy those who have done well in this country, contrary to the baloney that has been pushed on the American people. Those who have bought in to this class warfare mess are losers, plain and simple. I am willing to bet the well to do in Mexico is not maligned, NO! The losers just stole thier way into the U. S. because they know that Americans are full of Suckers and more losers who have a "crab" mentality. You know, if they can't make it, they will pull others down who have.
Yeah, it was the illegals that forced buyers into houses they could not afford and where overvalued at that. It was the illegals that forced these same home buyers to finance a 20 year growth spurt by taking out second and third mortgages on their homes to buy things they didn't have the disposable income to buy. It was also the illegals that forced Wall Street into turning those toxic loans into even more toxic bundled securities. Those same pesky illegals then forced US consumers into plowing their savings into these toxic securities. More recently those illegals forced investors into buying Facebook shares at $38 and HP into buying companies that they now have to write off. These losses at HP will probably lead to more layoffs courtesy of those darn illegals. Yup, no reason what so ever to look at the economic elite for some answers.
"...So bad that the stability of the middle class is threatened and we are resorting to holding the well to do hostage and giving them grief over what they have earned." Please, the stability of the middle class was threatened by the middle class and the unchecked consumerism that was at the center of the American Dream. Are illegals a drag on your economy? Sure. Are they responsible for the situation your middle class find itself in today, not by a long shot. Like parents that won't accept they did a bad job at raising their children, it has to be somebody's fault but mine.
Amen!
I just wrote something in accordance with you. Raise your children in a proper way, and you won't need to care about drugs reaching them, even more, you won't care about financial crisis. Many people like me lives in Mexico and believes that our main problem is the way our country's been ruled since long ago. THAT IS MEXICO'S PROBLEM, not PR, not cartels (these are consequences). The problem in northamerica is greed, drugs, and an ignorant egocentric stand. You can point fingers instead of assume you responsibilities and tackle your problem.
There would not be illegal aliens if northamericans would't hire them.
Solve your problems and stay away from ours.
Mexico always has an excuse. All their problems always seem to be someone else's fault. The government and country is out of control. Wealthy families and drug lords control the country. The wealthy families and government do not want to change anything that would jeopardize their control. Ravi, I question whether you really have travelled and spent time there.
Their presidents come and go, nothing really changes. Corruption is everywhere, even your local average cop cannot be trusted.
How can you compare the economies of China and India with Mexico. The third biggest source of revenue for the country is money sent from the US by relatives. You have shown how figures do not lie liyers figure.
Joke of a country. Why think otherwise? It's citizens flee to the US & Canada in every way possible, legal or illegal. Tourists no longer go there in any significant numbers and the gov't doesn't seem to care. "Closed for Business"
agreed
If it's soooo wonderful in Mexico, why are there so many illegal mexicans in the U.S.?
Mexico doesn't have a PR problem... Mexico has a reality awareness problem. Specifically, those living in Urban areas of Mexico (like Mexico City, Tiajuana, La Paz, etc) don't have any clue what life, and wages, are like in Rural Mexico. Much of the country gets by on a mere $6/day even while the average wage in Urban Mexico is about $26,000 a year. This income disparity is what makes the drug trade appealing, what accounts for the corruptability of government officials, and what is driving the illegal emmigration of Mexicans to other countries (most notably, the US). If you want to solve the country's problems, you need to start there. You need to start by fixing a system where 46% of the country live (and die) on $8000 a year or less while the rest of the nation lives richly off of their sweat and blood.
The trouble is......the main export, is DRUGS!
anyone else notice how badbobthealbino comments all revolve around hate towards the mexicans?
bob read your comments, it appears your just an ignorant racists and if your american, then im ashamed to be one.
If it is so great living in and being a Mexican, and they are making so much money, why are they breaking our laws by coming here by the millions????? Sounds like more than just a 'PR' problem!!!!
@bignevermo – the reason they told you not to drive at night on the highways is because – at least when I drove here in '94 – sometimes a truck breaks down. If there is no shoulder, or he can't move the vehicle to it, he has to sometimes get under his vehicle, right on the road itself, to deal with the problem. Most highways don't have the kind of bumper guards and extensive lighting ours do, and the terrain of Mexico is much more mountainous, often making shoulders impossible to construct. You'd often find yourself driving only a few feet from a precipice. Gnarly, that, even in daylight.
Now he's under his truck, the highway isn't lighted, and some dude comes bebopping along and crashes into his vehicle – turning the driver into applesauce. So what they'd do is pile up some rocks, a good distance upstream. If the bebopper is going to hit something, then, he'll hit the rocks. If he possesses a cone or flares, he'll add those, but the rocks may be needed to keep him alive, either way.
There has been one problem with this practice. Sometimes the driver forgets to remove the rocks! Then they are a hazard – an unnecessary one, to future traffic. Until somebody comes around and takes the time to remove them.
In addition, not all ranchers keep their cattle penned up, and they often cross highways at night. Hitting one with your car can total the car – and you, too, not to mention the cow. When such things occur, it is usually the owner of the cow who prevails. You, as a driver, have the responsibility to avoid hitting his livestock, because the cow can't always avoid the collision, while the driver is supposedly watchful enough to do so. So it's the driver's responsibility.
One of the really BAD parts of having a collision in Mexico is that you often have the opportunity to fall over a cliff.
I've been here 18 years, but can't drive any more due to my disability, so I can't say for sure how it is today. This situation may be better now, perhaps with more lighting on the highways. They use a lot of reflector markers, but driving at night is probably still rather risky, in spite of the improvements. If you MUST do it, though, adjust your speed, so you can stop WELL BEFORE you reach the limit of your vision from your headlights. With good measure. On twisty-turny mountainous roads, this means your speed must be VERY slow. When I drove down here, I noticed they didn't have bumper guards, even on the most mountainous roads. I shuddered to think of trying to drive on them in the dark! Some of the drops I came near were loaded with ye olde pucker factor. I drove only in daylight, but I still puckered a lot. Even back then, though, the highways I drove on were, themselves, well maintained. Just not wise to travel on at night.
@badbobthealbino – a shining example of hate. To be ignored.
From 4 different lists, available at (per capita average, in US dollars): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nominal)_per_capita
54 Brazil 12,789 2011 – 63 Mexico 10,146 2011 IMF
58 Brazil 12,594 2011 – 65 Mexico 10,064 2011 World Bank
57 Brazil 12,400 2011 – 62 Mexico 10,400 2011 CIA
60 Brazil 10,716 – 68 Mexico 9,101 United Nations
Ya, their own people don't even want to stay there.
Let's just think about the implications of the following, "hot off the presses" report from CNN and ask ourselves whether this is a country into which anyone, aside from drug lords, would wish to invest:
"CNN) - The first time an assassin's bullet tried to find her, Maria Santos Gorrostieta escaped, but her husband was killed.That was in 2009, when she was mayor of Tiquicheo, a small town in the Mexican state of Michoacan, which has seen some of the most brutal drug-related violence. The bullets found her in January of 2010, but again, she survived. She remained defiant, lifting her shirt at one point to show reporters her bullet wounds and scars after the second attack. Gorrostieta finished her term as mayor in 2011 and remarried. But the forces who wanted her dead prevailed this month, kidnapping her while she drove her daughter to school. Gorrostieta's body was found last week, her hands bound. No bullets this time. Investigators said there was evidence of a blow to the back of the head."
I was in Mexico City for three nights on business last month. I was floored by the poverty I saw. Not as bad as I've seen in Brazil but still families living beneath a highway overpass in the middle of the city. Poverty every where and a hotel staff that warned me not to travel at night alone in country that feels the need to have "Safe" taxies at the airport of their nation's capitol. Just a PR issue? Not from what I saw! I have ZERO Interest in EVER going back and can only imagine what it must be like in the drug regions.
Mexico has always had a bad PR problem
Mexico isn't the only one with a PR problem...
How about US? How about our media?
We have the potential to help out our neighbor's well being and bring them to 1st world status.
We can both solve illegal immigration issues, build a strong and vibrant system of trade with Mexico, and help to improve rural education and conditions.
Much better than spending trillions of dollars on the other side of the planet.
You wouldn't catch me in Mexico. If I want to be in a 3rd world war torn country. I would go to Afganastan and fight for my country.
Yeah, why don't you do us a favor and go to Afghanistan and stay there?
Johnny
Maybe you should go back to school in your developed country and learn how to write!!!
"Third attempt kills Mexican ex-mayor" PR problem? Hmm...
PR problem my @$$
The Narco's are running the country. The police are now more corrupt than they used to be (which was corrupt to begin with)
and Murders continue unabated.
What does it matter. We have lost our nation. People are here whom we have no idea who they are and if they are a threat to the USA. What happened? This is a sovern nation that only accepts people by invitation BUT.... Let just stop issuing visas and green cards open the boder and become Mexmerica. We are anyway and not one tries to stop it. I love this country and resent what it has become.
"Does Mexico have a PR problem?"
I didn't know there were enough Puerto Ricans in Mexico to cause a problem...
That was my first thought too.
Possibly, the problem is the lack of PR's?
LMAO
Of course the country has a pr problem. Decades of misinformation spilled from the USA and many US nationals that have not even set foot on Mexican soil, but who happen to have a perpetual grudge against Mexico do not doubt it a second to speak their terrible biases against it, the people, the culture, and just about anything that lends itself as a subject to malign. Yes, Mexico went through years of bleeding due to many factors including the drug market in the US which has to be supplied in order to squeeze billions of dollars from our drug-crazed society. Also, the disestablizing effect of hundreds of high-caliber weapons exported into the country and onto criminal hands by more than willing gunsellers and obscure govt. officials wanting to create chaos in Mexico. Most important, the inherent corruption of American and Mexican agencies, and people from both countries, willing to make a buck not minding if someone has to die for the money to be had.
I have to mention that racism, bigotry, and intolerance are also fueling the hatred of many Americans anxious to see the country finally tumble down to its destruction. They have to be suffering tremendously now that Mexico seems to be coming out of the dark fog is's been in the last year. Its GDP grew a bit over 3%, tourism has been increasing even in the wake of so much violence, Mexican people are increasing their consumption of goods and services, inflation is under control at 4.5% I think, the political transition has been an example of democracy to the whole world.
There are many good things to talk about Mexico, but we choose to talk bad. YES, there is a BIG PR problem.
It is a dump and most of the people are poor, have no clean water, or reliable infrastructure.
That isn't racism. That is a reason to stay away of you can.
What you are saying is FACTUALLY false. Most of my extended family lives in Mexico. I've lived in Mexico fro over three years. The UN classifies Mexico as a middle income country. This means that most are not starving. The vast majority has running water, sewage systems and electricity. You make outrages claims and and you do not mention any sources but your own ignorant biased opinion.
Q: How many illegal mexicans does it take to shingle a roof?
A: It depends how thin you slice them.
How many Tea Partiers does it take to screw the GOP big time?
Does Mexico have a PR problem? Dunno. They do have a drug cartel problem though.
Now that Pres. Calderon has realized he lost the Narco War maybe the new government Can concentrate on helping
it citzens and not killing them. Please Mr. Calderon do'nt come to Texas : We Don't Need Your KInd!
No PR problem at all. Just acceptance of the facts
It is generally accepted that the dilapidated country, missing infrastructure, lawlessness, and poverty experienced by most citizens in Mexico serves as a disincentive to others that have a choice not to go there or live there.
PH, I WONDER WHY YOU SEEM TO KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT MEXICO???
Why have the Economic reforms in Mexico not generated growth?
If they have it so well why don't they take all of our illegal Mexicans back and put them to work, pay off the debts they owe the US, and help guard the borders to keep their own people in their own drug controlled country?
The richest person in the world is Carlos Helu. Thanks to his monopoly in Mexico, he has been able to surpass billionaires living in first-world countries. Mexico's economy is centered around the wealthy, and ignores the problems of the millions of citizens living in poverty. This maldistribution of wealth is just one of many factors that fuels the increase of drug cartels. The American consumers demand illegal drugs, and Mexicans take advantage of the opportunity to make a nice little profit. The wealthy Mexicans never get their hands dirty, and never put themselves in the middle of the drug business. Yet, they are not stupid and find ways to get a slice of the pie. The country of Mexico is wealthy, but most of its money is not earned honestly.
I have lived in the U.S. and Mexico my whole life. I have family in both countries, where I can trace by roots going back more than 150 years. I have dual citizenship and pay taxes in both countries. Needless to say, I truly feel my life has been enriched as a result of my "bi-nationality". I wish more people in both countries had the opportunity of becoming more familiar with their neighboring country, whichever that may be. If that were the case, we would not only stop pointing fingers north or south and concentrate on getting our respective houses in order. Let's not kid ourselves, both countries have huge problems to solve on their own and, as a result of a 2,000 mile border that will not go away, we have common problems that we need to recognize and try to solve TOGETHER. If we keep pointing fingers and expecting our neighbor to do something to stop the leaves from his tree to stop falling on my yard, the problems will only become more difficult to solve.
It is in everyone's best interest for the population of both countries to be more prosperous and stable. If both countries work together, as we have done in the past, our levels of education and prosperity will rise, automatically making it simpler to overcome bilateral problems such as drugs and immigration. Looking away from each other will not make these mutual problems disappear.
In reading the many comments shared in this discussion one can see many insightful positions but also others that I can only attriute to sheer ignorance if not biggotry. I can only hope that through articles, such as Ravi Agraval's, our level of mutual understanding can be increased in a way that, in our lifetimes, we can truly co-exist as real NEIGHBORS.
Who cares? You can't just ignore an absence of the rule of law. Russia's economy has much to be said for it too, but what foreigner wants to invest in it? How can you reap a return on an investment in a gangstertocracy? Where the police are corrupt and outgunned, where officials are either cowed or for sale, people who want your money will just extort it from you. Let Mexico clean itself up as Colombia did, and we'll talk. In the meantime, motorists in Mexico City will just have to swerve to avoid the severed heads.
Ravi has a latin problem.
If you have a lick of sense, stay out of Mexico. A drug war rages there financed by the American taxpayers; a war against Marijuana an evil and poisonous plant (says Washington). Do you want to end up in a shallow grave or have your head chopped off by a machete? Don't ask for it; stay out of the place. Mexico is a beautiful nation but if lightning ever strikes it's going to be bad and I mean bad. Forget it, don't go there............
Mexico has a huge problem. It is called "Mexicans". Oh wait, most of them are now here in the U.S. !!
American Liberals will soon find out the hard way what the vibrant, blood-soaked Mexican culture an bring to America.
Maynard, You have even a bigger problem: IGNORANCE.
Mexico doesn't have a PR problem, it has a Mexican problem and the U.S. is going to get a bigger and bigger dose of the same problem with every passing year if the U.S. gov't keeps protecting illegal invaders. They say this issue is dividing the Republicans. Why isn't it diividing the Democrats? Do they want to depress the wages of American workers by flooding the country with cheap labor? Do they want to curse our children and grandchildren to live in an impoverished, blood-soaked Latin American hell where nothing ever works well?
Well put !!
I would say the U.S. and Israel are the ones with a PR problem. LOL
Of course Mexico has a high average income, drug cartels make good money and push the average up.
This is a no win article. No matter what you say to argue Mexico's poor pr is totally justified, you're going to be tagged a racist... Apparently tax free incomes here get taxed by Mexico once the money arrives home.
Can we learn something from cancer medicine and biology then apply them to our foreign policy towards Mexico? There seems to be an uneven equilibrium of negative things from Mexico into the US through the "membrane" of our southern border. We must increase the standard of living in Mexico, especially in towns just on the other side of our southern border. If we can do this, this negative flow will stop.
I believe hate is like a cancer; it can metastasize even distant cells. You have no idea where it will show up. This may explain how this cancer of hate spreads without any given pattern. In order to prevent this cancer from spreading even more, you must have healthy cells. You must reach people way before this cancer "infects" even more.
Can our understanding of how the DNA gets an on switch that causes cancer to happen as the DNA unravels in time. Can we utilize this knowledge of how extreme hate occurs after a few generations later? The key may be found in your unique DNA and where it (cancer) is found. It is going to take turning that on switch to an off switch to prevent future extreme hate a few generations later. Does our current raids create an on switch of today's youth. To lead to cancer of hate the next generation later? To prevent this cancer of hate to spread even more, both now and into the future, you must keep healthy cells healthy. This may include new political, economic and social programs to deal with this. I believe they should change the following to our immigration laws; that would result in the desired returns... The following are 3 ideas to do this.
1) I believe we should offer legal immigration opportunities to their brightest. They could learn STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) materials at our universities. Then they could bring this knowledge back to the other side of our southern border to create new companies. Thus raise the standard of living there in Mexico. Financiers from the states could bankroll these new companies to get them started. Then there would be a better chance of raising their standard of living on the other side of our Southern border to be met.
2) Can immigrants create consulting companies there in Mexico that connects to people here in the states? These companies may include satellite doctor's offices, pharmacies outlets, and nursing consultation. They could utilize remote Internet communications, like Skype, to bring their expert advice from across the border to satellite offices here in the states. This may be part of one answer to our extreme shortage of health care workers, among other occupations, that can be done.
3) Can a Mexican Marshall plan be developed as well, to increase the standard of living there? They could vote on a bond issue to be paid back with oil revenues and minerals income. They could rebuild old neighborhoods into something better. In addition, as part of this new plan, new oil wells, gas pipelines, minerals developments, manufacturing and neighborhoods improvements would be done. These gas pipelines could not only run into the US; it could be placed to these new manufacturing plants created just on the other side of our Southern border.
In conclusion, we must increase the standard of living in Mexico. Then we solve many problems at once. The above 3 ideas may be part of our comprehensive immigration overhaul to accomplish this. Are there other creative ways to raise this standard of living on the other side of our southern border? You be the judge.
Why is the USA the one who must teach every country in South America how to treat their people? Why is it our responsibility? This country is the most chartable per person in the world and all I hear is the USA must do more. It is starting to make me sick. Do not get me wrong I have no problem with someone trying to improve their life. But to ask me and others to lower their amount on deposable income to do so is not something I can agree too.
How much of their wealth has the Mexican government spent on their own schools, roads, water works and other projects that are needed? The USA has sent millions across the boarder and has received only illegals back for the most part.
No Mexico has a corruption and crime problem. I mean here you have 100 million people, in a country with amazing resources, next to the most rich Nation on the planet for 70 years, and you can't get your carp together because of the the corruption and crime that affects every level of socioty. It is a RICH Country that never sperad the wealth or took care of it's people.
If it's not the "war torn wasteland" why are there almost daily reports of murdered, tortured bodies and mass graves found? Clearly the cartels taking out local Mayors is obvious.... they want Mayors that they can control and who will take bribes to look the other way. But for the war on drugs to end, one aspect is to end the demand on this side of the border.
Reading these posts it would appear that there are no drug users in MEXICO only drug sellers and there would be no drug sellers if the U.S. had no drug users. IN YOUR DREAMS
Hmmm? We just returned from 2 weeks in Jalisto. It was an 'average' vacation...enjoy the surf and sun while trying to survive the society around us. Mexico is a chaotic basketcase...corruption and crime rampant. It's 'the norm'.
Perhaps if someone was raised in the Congo, Uzbekistan or theSudan, then Mexico is 'just fine'.
Is the vaunted high average income skewed by billionaire druglords and mega monopolist kingpins like carlos slim?
Yes, it is unfortunately.
This article is NOT accurate. If you divide GDP amont the population, then yes 15,000 US dlls. per capita. BUT, reality is Mexico has a 50 pesos, about 4.5 US dlls per day, not per hour, but per day as minimum wage. NOW, the average person makes around 3,000 pesos ( about 240 dlls. per month, per month). Police officer in Guadalajara, Jalisco (large and metropolitan city in Mexico) earn about 5,000 pesos per month (380.00 US dlls. per month). So, rounding off... a Salary of about 4,500 US dlls per year is DEFINITELY NOT, NOT, NOT 15,000 US dlls per year. I have lived in Mexico, I know the culture, the people... Getting your facts from statistics, GDP or the WorldFactbook won't get you the correct info. Many, many, many mexicans survive on LESS than 300 dlls per month. Is that right or wront? NOT my place to say, just stating the FACTS.
In Mexico does exist a really problematic situation with the drug cartels but as usual the americans got a quite unrealistic point of view about it. The violence in Mexico is internally focalized in some some states,is internally focalized because is a subjetive narration about those states situation,in very few words the violence in state of Mexico or San Luis Potosi is not perceived in the same way than in Queretaro or Mexico City. Those four states got borders within the Federation but their narrative about the useless war on drugs not only differs is even antagonic. As a mexican chilango middle class my subjetive narration is clear and simple; I shall not travel to the northern states because is a dangerous trip,in the other hand i have a really good relation with people living in the border,so is my perception vs their perception. So quoting "Al Quijote de la Mancha": "I sometimes think that all you tell me of knighthood, kingdoms, empires and islands is all windy blather and lies"
Carlos Slim.
Take him out of the picture and Mexico gets much, much better.
And while he is being taken out of the picture, seize 95% of his assets.
Bingo!
I've knows this forever. Mexico is one of the richest middle income countries out there and for the past 25 years, we have been importing most of their poorest people.
With due respect, this author in his own right frame of mind talks about the country being seized economically by the super rich aristocrats and also proves the largest income inequality in Mexico; then what is left to talk about the future growth and GDP etc, or the country overtaking Brazil in a decade? When the poor gets pauper there is no common good happening in a country whatever the name. Just close your eyes for a moment and think about the USA disallowing its imports from Mexico for a single day. Further think about the stoppage of its home remittances from the USA for a month. And where does its economic strength lie? Though we all wish it well, but quoting figures and making presentations can't work with those who know a little bit of world economy. I wish him revisiting Mexico once again before the close of the Mayan calendar. There is no doubt the Mexicans in general are the most noble and innocent people in the world.
EWWWW MEXICANS!!!!
I’m sure you haven’t understood anything about this article and yet you just wrote Awwww??? Get life and read a book instead to smoking pot and be racist.
Good....so all the cartel and gangs will disappear...Why you don't talk about the bad things.....why hide all crime and hate there ? Satanic cults and etc...
I lost all my cameras in Oaxaca !!!
..the police was about to take me jail..and the bad people...well..they are free...
I don't believe in Mexico....
Paid Propaganda >?
si ...hermanos....Mexico ? never!!!!
Man for me was the same in Texas. I was just walking and the caught me there cause I look dangerous, I had just shave my head. And yes our relationship with USA is enormous you import almost all the fruits and vegetables. And furthermore all the carters’ production is given to USA, and a mean we have already regulated the gun industry. We don’t have shootings in our Universities and less in Elementary schools, and really you cannot judge Mexico because a one bad experience in one state. We have problems for sure like USA have others too.
Should Spain recapture government control of Mexico by right of lineage to that of citizenship? After all, the Spanish are as guilty today for the situation in Mexico as the English are for the same situation within the United States of America where no one seems to be happy with an economy.
Is Spain in bed with the British?
Where is the prompt to e-mail this item?
It seems that being able to share via e-mail is getting left behind.
Please include an e-mail link..
the older options work if one can collude the older editions of life.
Averages do not mean much in a country with so many poor and a few very rich
It's all relative. The average Mexican probably doesn't see themselves as "well off" because they live next too a very rich country and are exposed to it's media and lifestyle. The average Indian or Chinese was dirt poor in a backwards society for generations and any improvements are seen as awesome.
Many Americans would like to exterminate foreigners who sell drugs to USA citizens. Pure and simple truth.
No misconceptions here. I KNOW it's a s_h_i_thole. Hahahahahahaaa
What most of the people do for a living there?
I find all of the comments about the supply and demand of drugs and Mexico being the root of US drug problems absolutely hilarious. If every drug cartel in Mexico was shut down tomorrow, I can guarantee that there would be no difference in the amount of drugs consumed in the United States. It would just change the source that some of the drugs come from. I know plenty of entreprenuers that grow their own drugs at home. I used to live in a classy neighborhood that had the honor of being called the Meth Capital of the Pacific Northwest. An old aquaintance of mine used to sell the drugs he was prescribed by his doctor at a significant mark up and another aquaintance used to use his prescription sleep aids for that lovely narcotic effect they produced when you didn't use them to aid in sleeping. The demand is here, and that's a problem we have to fix on the US side of the border.
Regarding the actual article, I had no idea that Mexico had the 14th largest economy in the world. I've heard a lot about the growth in Brazil and China, but all I ever hear about Mexico is drug cartels and violence. This article was an eye opener.
Will the last person to leave Mexico please turn off the lights?
I'm pruod to be Mexican and almost a Texan!