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==Trade of illegal drugs==
==Trade of illegal drugs==
Mexico is a major source of drugs entering the United States. By the 1990s, 80%-90% of the cocaine smuggled into the United States arrived through Mexico. In February 1985, US Drug Enforcement Administration agent [[Enrique Camarena]], nicknamed "Kiki", was kidnapped in Mexico, tortured and then murdered, in what was as an attempt by Mexican drug cartels to intimidate the United States.
Mexico is a major source of drugs entering the United States. By the 1990s, 80%-90% of the cocaine smuggled into the United States arrived through Mexico. In February 1985, US Drug Enforcement Administration agent [[Enrique Camarena]], nicknamed "Kiki", was kidnapped in Mexico, tortured and then murdered, in what was as an attempt by Mexican drug cartels to intimidate the United States. After one party rule ended in Mexico in 2000, the Mexican government increased its efforts to combat the all powerful drug cartels. The United States sends aid to Mexico for this purpose through the [[Merida Initiative]].<ref> Foreign Affairs, July/August 2010, page 45</ref>


==Economics==
==Economics==

Revision as of 02:43, 28 September 2010

Mexico-United States relations
Map indicating locations of USA and Mexico

United States
Mexico

Mexico – United States relations refers to the foreign relations between Mexico and the United States. The two countries share a maritime and land border in North America. Several treaties have been concluded between the two nations bilaterally, such as the Gadsden Purchase, and multilaterally, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement. Both members of various international organizations, including the Organization of American States and the United Nations.

Country comparison

Mexico United Mexican States United States United States of America
Population 111,211,789 308,195,000
Area 1,972,550 km2 (761,606 sq mi) 9,826,630 km2 (3,794,066 sq mi)
Population Density 55/km2 (142/sq mi) 31/km2 (80/sq mi)
Capital Mexico City Washington, D.C.
Largest City Mexico City – 8,836,045 (19,028,000 Metro) New York City – 8,363,710 (19,006,798 Metro)
Government Federal presidential constitutional republic Federal presidential constitutional republic
Official languages None at federal level None at federal level
Main religions 76.5% Roman Catholic, 13.8% unspecified, 6% Protestant, 3.1% non-Religious, 0.3% other [1] 75% Christianity, 20% non-Religious, 2% Judaism, 1% Buddhism, 1% Islam
Ethnic groups 60-65% Amerindian-European (mestizo), 17-30% Indian, 9-16% Caucasian, 1% other [1][2] 74% White American, 14.8% Hispanic and Latino Americans (of any race),
13.4% African American, 6.5% Some other race, 4.4% Asian American,
2.0% Two or more races, 0.68% American Indian or Alaska Native, 0.14% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
GDP (nominal) US$1.143 trillion ($10,235 per capita) US$14.441 trillion ($47,440 per capita)
Military expenditures $6.07 billion (FY 2006) $663.7 billion (FY 2010) [3]

History

The United States shares a unique and often complex relationship with the United Mexican States. With shared history stemming back to the Texas Revolution (1835–1836) and the Mexican-American War (1846–1848), several treaties have been concluded between the two nations, most notably the Gadsden Purchase, and multilaterally with Canada, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Mexico and the United States are members of various international organizations, such as the Organization of American States and the United Nations. Illegal immigration, arms sales, and drug smuggling continue to be contending issues in 21st-century Mexican-American relations.

Early history

Mexican-American relations grew out of the earlier relations between the fledgling nation of the United States and the Spanish Empire. Modern Mexico formed the core area of the Viceroyalty of New Spain at the time the United States gained independence from Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783). Spain had served as an ally to the American colonists in that war.

The aspect of Spanish-American relations that would bear most prominently on later relations between the U.S. and Mexico was the ownership of Texas. In the early 19th century the United States claimed that Texas was part of the territory of Louisiana, and therefore had been rightfully acquired by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase from France in 1803. The Spanish, however, claimed it was not, as the western boundaries of Louisiana were not clearly defined.[4] In 1819 the dispute was resolved with the signing of the Adams–Onís Treaty, in which the United States relinquished its claims to Texas and instead purchased Spanish Florida.[5]

In 1821 Mexico finally gained independence from Spain, and was soon recognized by the United States.[6] The two countries quickly established diplomatic relations.[7] Both Mexico and the United States respected the boundaries established by the Adams–Onís Treaty, but certain elements in the United States were greatly displeased with the treaty, as it relinquished rights to Texas.[8] Texas remained a focal point of Mexican-American relations for decades. The relationship was further affected by internal struggles within the two countries: in Mexico these included concerns over the establishment of a centralized government, while in the United States it centered around the debate over the expansion of slavery.[8]

Beginning in the 1820s Americans and other non-Mexicans began to settle in eastern Texas in large numbers. These settlers, known as Texians, were frequently at odds with the Mexican government. Their disagreements led to the Texas Revolution, one of a series of independence movements that came to the fore following the 1835 amendments to the Constitution of Mexico, which substantially altered the governance of the country. Prior to the Texas Revolution the general public of the United States was indifferent to Texas, but afterward, public opinion was increasingly sympathetic to the Texians.[9] Following the war a Republic of Texas was declared, though independence was not recognized by Mexico, and the boundaries between the two were never agreed upon. In 1845 the United States annexed Texas, leading to a major border dispute and eventually to the Mexican-American War.[10]

Mexican-American War

Main article: Mexican-American War

The Mexican-American War was fought from 1846 to 1848. The war ended in a decisive American victory, and as a result Mexico sold all of its northernmost territory, including California and New Mexico to the United States in the Mexican Cession. Additionally, Mexico relinquished its claims to Texas, and the United States forgave Mexico's debts to U.S. citizens. In 1853 the United States purchased additional land from Mexico in the Gadsden Purchase.

Trade of illegal drugs

Mexico is a major source of drugs entering the United States. By the 1990s, 80%-90% of the cocaine smuggled into the United States arrived through Mexico. In February 1985, US Drug Enforcement Administration agent Enrique Camarena, nicknamed "Kiki", was kidnapped in Mexico, tortured and then murdered, in what was as an attempt by Mexican drug cartels to intimidate the United States. After one party rule ended in Mexico in 2000, the Mexican government increased its efforts to combat the all powerful drug cartels. The United States sends aid to Mexico for this purpose through the Merida Initiative.[11]

Economics

Carlos Salinas, President of Mexico (back left), George H. W. Bush, President of the United States (back centre), and Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister of Canada (back right)

In 1985 the world’s total number of sovereign states had reached 180; by the year 1994, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, the number had grown to 220. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) represents the latest attempt to tear down barriers to capital mobility even as territorial demarcations were tightened for workers. The purpose of NAFTA was not merely to facilitate trade and open markets but to expand opportunities for capital investment. The treaty did not pay attention to worker mobility, in striking contrast to the EU, which made labor central to the broader process of market integration. The consolidation of European markets was effected by multilateral polices designed to harmonize social policies, equalize economic infrastructures, and guarantee worker rights and mobility within the trade zone. In contrast, NAFTA omitted these provisions and its American backers instead insisted on the unilateral right to prevent Mexican workers from migrating through restrictive border policies.

Globalization

Globalization is the increasing interconnectedness of people and places as a result of advances in transport, communication, and information technologies that causes political, economical, and cultural convergence. Latin America has emerged from the economic doldrums of the 1970s and 1980s to become a commercial power of its own right in the 1990s. Seeds were planted in the 1980s with the movements towards democracy and free market economies. Mexico has become a member of NAFTA, Mercosur, born in 1988, achieved full internal free trade among member-states Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay by its 1994 deadline.

Positive

The border between Mexico and the United States spans four U.S. states, six Mexican states, and has over twenty commercial crossings.

In contrast to the accepted wisdom of the 1970s and 1980s, international firms in the 1990s see Latin America as a springboard into America. Companies such as Honda and Mercedes have built new plants or upgraded existing ones in Mexico to reap the advantages of the free trade that the NAFTA agreement promised. The surge of consumption south of the American border has also sparked the interest of both American and international retailers. After an extensive study of Mexican consumers in its 22 stores on the U.S.-Mexico border, J.C. Penney announced plans to open 20 stores in Mexico and Chile, where the Home Depot briefly had 12 stores in the early 2000s. Wal-Mart followed its initial push into Mexico, Canada and Puerto Rico with aggressive moves into Brazil, Chile and Argentina. Corona is the number one imported beer in America by volume with a 29% share of the beer market.[12]

Negative

While it can be argued that the effects of economic liberalization over three decades have been largely positive, concerns are rising in capitals throughout the world that accelerating change is carrying an increasingly high price in terms of unemployment, social dislocation, income disparities, the exploitation of workers and environmental degradation. This can be seen specifically in cases of the maquiladora factories on the U.S.-Mexico border. Cases of exploitative labor, low wages, long hours, and sexual misconduct are evident.

Diplomatic missions

Common memberships

See also

References

  1. ^ a b http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/35749.htm
  2. ^ http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/379167/Mexico
  3. ^ http://www.gpoaccess.gov/usbudget/fy10/pdf/budget/defense.pdf
  4. ^ Rives, pp. 1–2; 11–13.
  5. ^ Rives, pp. 18–19.
  6. ^ Rives, p. 45.
  7. ^ Rives, p. 38, 45–46.
  8. ^ a b Rives, pp. 24–25.
  9. ^ Rives, pp. 262–264.
  10. ^ Rives, p. 699.
  11. ^ Foreign Affairs, July/August 2010, page 45
  12. ^ "US Imported Beer". Snapdata. Retrieved 2009-06-04. In 2003, the largest imported beer brand in America by volume was Corona Extra, with a 29.0%. share of the market.

Further reading

  • Adams, John A. Bordering the Future: The Impact of Mexico on the United States (2006), 184pp
  • Arbelaez, Harvey; Milman, Claudio (2007), "The New Business Environment of Latin America and the Caribbean", International Journal of Public Administration, p. 553.
  • Bosch García, Carlos. Documentos de la relación de México con los Estados Unidos. Template:Es icon Volumes 1-2. National Autonomous University of Mexico, 1983. ISBN 9685805520, 9789685805520.
  • Dunn, Christopher; Brewer, Benjamin; Yukio, Kawano (2000), "Trade Globalization since 1795: Waves of Integration in the World-System", American Sociological Review, vol. 65, pp. 77–95.
  • Gereffi, Gary; Hempel, Lynn (1996), "Latin America in the Global Economy: Running Faster to Stay in Place", Report on the Americas, retrieved 2008-04-29.
  • Hill, John; D'souza, Giles (1998), "Tapping the Emerging Americas Market", Journal of Business Strategy.
  • Henderson, Timothy J. A Glorious Defeat: Mexico and Its War with the United States (2007). focus on causation from Mexican perspective
  • Hinojosa, Victor J. Domestic Politics and International Narcotics Control: U.S. Relations with Mexico and Colombia, 1989-2000 (2007)
  • Kelly, Patricia; Massey, Douglas (2007), "Borders for Whom? The Role of NAFTA in Mexico-U.S. Migration", The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political Science, vol. 610, pp. 98–118.
  • Mumme, Stephen (2007), "Trade Integration, Neoliberal Reform and Environmental Protection in Mexico: Lessons for the Americas", Latin American Perspectives, vol. 34, pp. 91–107.
  • Plana, Manuel. "The Mexican Revolution and the U.S. Border: Research Perspectives," Journal of the Southwest Winter 2007, Vol. 49 Issue 4, pp 603–613, historiography
  • Weintraub, Sidney. Unequal Partners: The United States and Mexico (University of Pittsburgh Press; 2010) 172 pages; Focuses on trade, investment and finance, narcotics, energy, migration, and the border.
  • White, Christopher. Creating a Third World: Mexico, Cuba, and the United States during the Castro Era (2007)
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