Mexico

Question 1

Describe the significance of the Chiapas and the EZLN (Zapatista Army of National Liberation)

Answer 1

The passing of NAFTA frustrated the Amerindians, causing them to occupy the southern state of Chiapas, challenging the mexican government to overturn their neoliberal policies, embrace land reform and democratization.

Question 2

Who was affected by Mexican neoliberal policies?

Answer 2

1. Workers and peasants were negatively affected because they were unable to compete with cheap agricultural exports and elimnation of agricultural jobs.
   2.Maquiladoras positively affected– factories used cheap imports to make exported goods

Question 3

What was the economic crisis during the twilight of PRI and how did mexico respond?

Answer 3

(1970s) mexican presidents used oil wealth to support government spending and uplift economic inequalities, leading to inflation and the value of the peso deflating.

Response: mexico embraced neoliberalism, opening Mexico’s economy to cheap agricultural imports, and joined the north american free trade agreement (NAFTA)

Question 4

What is PEMEX, who created it, and what is it’s significance on mexico’s economy?

Answer 4

State owned oil monopoly created by President Cardenas in 1938. (He nationalized all private oil industries)
Oil exports are an immense asset of mexico’s economy, being one of mexico’s top exports.

Question 5

Describe examples of corruption in legal system

Answer 5

1. Drug cartels have high impunity in Mexico’s legal system because of their political influence over local governments and bribery of law enforcement.
2. In the past, PRI had absolute control over the judicial branch, so much so that with each new president, all judges would step down for new selection.

Question 6

Describe two reforms in 1980 that has helped transition Mexico away from dominant party system

Answer 6

1. National Electoral Institute (INE)– an independent electoral commision from the government that establishes all rules and operations of mexico elections.
2. NAFTA: opened Mexico to greater foreign investment and opportunities, breaking down traditional and private alliances such as camarillas within the PRI

Question 7

Economic austerity

Answer 7

policies that a government imposes to control growing public debt, defined by increased frugality

Question 8

Camarilla

Answer 8

informal political networks of personal loyalty, prominently under PRI

Question 9

Bracero Program

Answer 9

WW2 Program allowing mexicans to temporarily work in the U.S

Question 10

caciques

Answer 10

local military strongmen controlling local politics pre-revolution and a bit after post-revolution (nineteenth century)

Question 11

President Calderon

Answer 11

Mexico conservative president who waged war against drug cartels, leading to rise in violence

Question 12

caudillos

Answer 12

national miliary strongmen

Question 13

Describe mexico’s electoral system

Answer 13

mixed electoral system— first past post and PR

Question 14

Mexican indigenous people are called

Answer 14

amerindians

Question 15

federal electoral institute

Answer 15

AKA, national electoral institute– independent agency that regulating elections in mexico. Created the intent to end decades of electoral fraud.

Question 16

Immigration reform and control act

Answer 16

U.S. immigration legislation that toughened immigration law while granting amnesty to longtime undocumented workers

Question 17

import substitution industrialization

Answer 17

political economic model during PRI where domestic policy was protected by high tariffs in order to promote industrial growth.

Question 18

informal sector

Answer 18

sector of economy that is not regulated by state, taking up a small but considerable amount of mexican economy.

Question 19

AMLO (Lopez obrador, andres manuel)

Answer 19

Current president since 2018, under leftist party of MORENA

Question 20

maquiladoras

Answer 20

factories that import goods or parts to manufacture goods that are exports

Question 21

MORENA

Answer 21

leftist part formed by AMLO out of PRD

Question 22

North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)

Answer 22

Agreement between Canada, Mexico, and U.S, liberalized trade and neoliberal economic policies. Replaced with the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) in 2020

Question 23

PRD

Answer 23

leftist party that embraces economic independence and nationalism

Question 24

President Pena Nieto

Answer 24

first PRI elected president since the return of democracy in 2000

Question 25

what are the two most significant offices under the president’s cabinet’s of ministers

Answer 25

secretary of government– domestic affairs
secretary of treasury– economy

Question 26

televisa

Answer 26

media conglomerate that was extremely pro-PRI

Question 27

War of the castes

Answer 27

massive nineteenth century uprising of amerindians against mexican state after the mexican american war.