In a federal republic like Mexico, a lot of what is happening in the country – and certainly a lot of what citizens talk about – is defined by who the president is. In our last Connect with Mexico session, we delved into the personal story and controversial presidency of Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
We looked at his early years in Tabasco, in family and in politics, and how the oil industry deeply influenced him and his views on Mexico’s development and on how it should be governed. We relived his struggles with the political elites and his election as mayor of Mexico City, once democracy was firm and legitimate in the country by the year 2000.
We later explored his decision to create a national movement “that would transform the country” and get him elected president. His National Regeneration Movement - Morena (whose acronym in Spanish translates as a brown-skinned woman) would sweep the country, consolidate millions of supporters, and indeed get him elected to the country’s highest office with 53% of the vote in the year 2018, after three consecutive presidential elections.
June 18, 2023.
Through our insightful conversation about this political leader, we examined his plans to govern the country, the challenges and mistakes in the implementation of those programs, and the strong criticism directed at many of those new policies. We also noticed, however, that López Obrador’s approval rating is one of the highest of any head of state in the world. Not only that, but his party also now governs most of the 32 states of Mexico after local elections held two weeks ago.
Come to Connect with Mexico next week and discuss with us the Mexican economy. What makes it tick? What roles does the United States play regarding economic issues in Mexico? How did Mexico become one of the countries with the most free-trade agreements? How does that affect the price and quality of products Mexicans buy and sell every day at their local markets?
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