Mexico Revives Ancient Games

This article from USA Today, Mexico Revives Ancient Games, describes Mexico's efforts to renew interest in prehispanic sports. Numbers of players has been dwindling over the centuries and many are in danger of dying out. Among barriers to the widespread playing of the games is that many are dangerous or painful, such as pelota purépecha which is like field hockey with a flaming ball. Also, the games are associated with Indian culture, and most Mexicans favor European culture. Ballgames were very important in Prehispanic culture. The mayan story of creation is of the first two humans created were challenged by the gods of the underworld. The humans lost the game and were killed, but were then turned into the sun and the moon. Now the Mexican government is trying to promot the games among the younger generation. Seminars are being held to teach the games to elementary school teachers. The government doesn't want children to forget the indiginous culture of Mexico in favor of foreign influences.

This article reflects societal cleavages within Mexico, specifically the racial one. As more and more people prefer European to Indian culture, Mexican traditions are disappearing. However, Mexico has always strvied to blend their indiginous and Hispanic cultures, as reflected in their drvies to upkeep indiginous games.

Mexico and American Security Co-operation

This recent Economist article, Turning to the gringos for help, describes a stronger security alliance between Mexico and America in an attempt to outs drug cartels from Northern Mexico. It goes with out saying that American involvement in other Latin American countries has made Mexico weary to allow any sort of American intervention. However the constant violence from these cartels has changed these attitudes. Intelligence sharing, American police training to Mexican law officials, tightening of border security, and 1.3 billion dollar in aid are new efforts that are to be implemented soon between the two countries. However, Mexico officials have made it clear that they will not allow American agents in operational roles. Regardless, it will be interesting to see how this new co-operation will combat the drug cartels.

This article is relevant to our class because it is a prime example of the unique relationship that exists between America and Mexico--a relationship that at times is uneasy but completely valid. As well, this article states that some of the aid money sent to Mexico from the US will go to judicial reform. Mexico's judicial system is most likely the weakest branch of government but with the recent reform, Mexico is solidifying itself more and more into a liberal democracy.

Mexico's Oil Politics Keeps Riches Just Out Of Reach

This article from The New York Times, Mexico's Oil Politics Keeps Riches Just Out Of Reach, talks about how Mexico's readily accessible oil is disappearing, and how the politics of Mexico is keeping Pemex from advancing to find the oil deep under the Gulf and under ground.

Mexico has been one of the top oil exporting countries of the world, and there is a great pride found in the 1938 law removing any and all foreign investors (because of this, March 18 is a civic holiday). But now as Pemex, Mexico's top oil company, has found itself slowing production by immense amounts, people are starting to worry about the future of Mexico's oil industry. Canterell, Mexico's largest oil field, has dropped production by about 50% in the past years, and many people are afraid that Mexico, who takes in 30 to 40 percent of their national revenue from oil, will be forced to start importing oil in the next decade.

Many researchers believe that the oil is there, beneath the land and deep in the Gulf of Mexico, but Premex just doesn't have the technological necessities or the money to reach it. Extracting oil from deep beneath the ocean is costly and risky, most companies find partners to share the financial risk with. The problem is that the Mexican constitution does not allow foreign investors to take any profit from oil they help find so no foreign partners are given any incentive to help. One water rig from deep in the ocean can cost $365 million a year to operate, and without outside help, Mexico's oil industry is going to suffer even greater catastrophe.

President Calderon has made some reforms to help Pemex and the oil industry, but the nationalistic view that the people have of Mexico's 1938 law, and the wish to keep foreign business out has stalled much of Mexico's needed technological advancement. Pemex has long been "a symbol of nationalism and sovereignty", but with this lag in oil production, it might cause Mexico to go into an even worse economic recession.

This article is important to look at in Comparative Government because it refers to Mexico's national belief in the Dependency theory, that foreign business and investors need to be kept out so that local and state businesses can develop. This also poses as a huge economic problem for Mexico. If one of it's main sources of revenue goes under, than the following economic crash will cause major civic unrest and political upheaval. it will be important to see how this plays out, and how the government deals with the problems of the drug war, growing poor population, and weakening of legitimacy that would follow an even bigger economic panic.

Northern Mexcian Cops in Protest

This recent New York Times Article, Northern Mexico Cops Protest After Ambush Kills 3, addresses the demands of a disgruntled police force in the city of San Nicolas de la Garza. After the death of three of their colleague the police force went on strike until certain provisions were granted. Some of the provisions demanded are high-powered weapons to match the firepower of the drug gangs, bulletproof vests, and life insurance.

However, the immersion of these new demands are slowed because of collusion of municipalities with the drug gangs. Police forces in the state have been forbidden to carry cell phones, to prevent tip offs to the gangs about federal raids. There have been cases where local police, wielding automatic weapons, interfere with federal agents attempting to arrest drug suspects. In any regards, the disgruntled feelings of a battered police force are now coming to surface in these strikes.

This article is relevant to compartivists studying government because it addresses societal whims in particular with the police force. The government loses a shed of legitimacy when its police force is disgruntled and drug cartel gangsters control not only the streets but some of the police force as well. However, police forces participating in strikes shows that citizens are free to question their government's motives, and voice their concerns. This kind of transparency is imperative to a liberal democracy.

Los Nacrocorridos and the Drug War

The New York Times article, Minstrels in the Court of the Kingpin, talks about how narcocorridos, which are controversial songs, usually ballads, that glorify drug lords and drug violence, are affecting peoples outlook and how the government has responded to this type of music.

The article talks about Los Tucanes, a famous band in Mexico that has made many "unofficial" nacrocorridos that are tributes to Mr. Lopez, a high ranking member of the Tijuana drug cartel. These nacrocorridos have become more and more popular, especially in cities where drug violence is most prominent, and killings have become a daily part of life. George Castaneda, a former foreign secretary of Mexico says, “the corridos are attempts by Mexican society to come to terms with the world around them, and drug violence is a big part of that world."

But, these songs have been banned from the radio and, in January, "the country’s ruling party drew up a congressional proposal to issue prison sentences of up to three years to artists who glorify traffickers in songs or films." The government, and other supporters of reform, see these songs as detrimental to societies trying to fight the drug cartels because it normalizes violence and drugs and makes them feel like a more permanent part of life.

This issue brings to question Mexican citizens right to freedom of speech and how secure their Civil Rights are if ballads and movies can be banned from being shown and heard because of their content; and people can be jailed for things they say in movies and songs.