Mexico Publications
The Effects of Drug-War Related Violence on Mexico’s Press and Democracy
Apr 05, 2013This paper offers an assessment of the impact of criminal violence on journalists and media workers in Mexico, which is now the most dangerous country in the Western Hemisphere for journalists. Dr. Edmonds-Poli concludes with a set of policy recommendations for the Mexican government, Mexican society, and the international community to address the problem of violence against the Mexican media. more
Mexican Migration to the United States: Underlying Economic Factors and Possible Scenarios for Future Flows
Apr 04, 2013In this report we examine some economic factors that have influenced migration flows from Mexico to the United States, for the purpose of constructing scenarios on how such flows could evolve in the near term. Throughout our analysis, we look at three different periods in the recent history of migration from Mexico to the United States: 1990 to 2000; 2000 to 20007; and a third period corresponding to the global economic crisis and its aftermath. more
Subcommittee Hearing: U.S. Energy Security: Enhancing Partnerships with Mexico and Canada
Mar 15, 2013On March 14, 2013, Duncan Wood, Director of the Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute, testified before the House Committee on Foreign Affairs’ Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere. The hearing, titled “U.S. Energy Security: Enhancing Partnerships with Mexico and Canada,” included a discussion of the Keystone XL pipeline and the Transboundary Hydrocarbons Agreement. more
Peña Nieto’s Cabinet: What Does It Tell Us About Mexican Leadership?
Mar 12, 2013An analysis of cabinet leadership in Mexico has always provided insights into political recruitment trends for the policy-making leadership in general. This essay briefly analyzes the backgrounds of the twenty-two cabinet secretaries and important cabinet-level agencies, and the president, and compares them with equivalent leadership, where appropriate, from three prior presidential periods. Those consist of the cabinet members from the pre-democratic era, 1935-1988, from the democratic transition, 1988-2000, and from the democratic era, 2000-2013. more
U.S. Ambassadors to Mexico: The Relationship Through Their Eyes
Feb 26, 2013What emerges in this publication is a nuanced portrait of the individuals who have been tasked with serving as the key link of the U.S. government with Mexico. Dolia Estévez's effort to bring their memories and their perspectives to light helps illuminate a little known part of the political relationship between the two countries. It also chronicles a changing relationship between these countries from "distant neighbors" to "intimate strangers," who are deeply dependent on one another and yet are only still getting to know one another well enough to manage the relationship. more
Criminal Procedure Reform in Mexico: Where Things Stand Now
Feb 15, 2013This paper gives an overview of Mexico’s judicial reform process and where things stand now that the Peña Nieto government has assumed the presidency from Felipe Calderón. A key challenge in tracking the reform continues to be the unavailability of systematic data on institutional changes; Ingram’s paper highlights the weakness in data availability but his measures of reform progress also contribute to ameliorating this weakness. more
Strengthening Health Systems in North and Central America: What Role for Migration?
Feb 01, 2013As the demographics, epidemiological profiles, and migration patterns of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and the United States change, there is rich opportunity to explore how the effective management of migration across these countries might help meet the demand for health care services. Using a comparative case study, this report looks at health care services and human resources in all five countries to identify constraints on health care capacity. Nursing personnel are the focus of the report. more
Ripe with Change: Evolving Farm Labor Markets in the United States, Mexico, and Central America
Feb 01, 2013This report contributes to the Regional Migration Study Group's vision for human-capital infrastructure development in the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador by assessing trends in agriculture and their implications for farm labor markets. Such implications include demand for skills and requisite education and workforce development. more
Manufacturing in the United States, Mexico, and Central America: Implications for Competitiveness and Migration
Jan 01, 2013The economies of Mexico, and to a lesser extent, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador, have benefited from aggressive manufacturing-attraction strategies. At the same time, the achievements of the maquiladora development strategy have masked important flaws that threaten to stymie the promise of even greater economic growth. more
Crime and Violence in Mexico and Central America: An Evolving But Incomplete US Policy Response
Jan 01, 2013In this report, we first survey the causes for the rise of violent crime in Mexico, and the Northern Triangle of Central America. We then look at the US policy response to date. We conclude by offering a few suggestions on how the US policy response could be significantly improved in the short and medium term to respond better to the underlying challenges that the countries of the region are facing, problems in which our own country is deeply implicated. more
