The Importance of Mexico

Mexico’s geography is a blessing and a curse. Its proximity to the United States has given it a rich, powerful and stalwart trading partner right across its northern border. But this has made Mexico dependent on the United States — vulnerable, in other words, to changes in U.S. policy. And changes over immigration and trade policies may well be in the offing. The more protectionist the United States becomes, the more it will aggravate tensions with Mexico. But ties between the two countries are simply too tight to unravel. North America will continue to thrive from its integration, of which Mexico is an important part.

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A picture showing Honduran migrants gathering on the Mexican side of the U.S.-Mexico border fence near Tijuana after unsuccessfully attempting to cross into the United States, Dec 1.

Assessments Dec 6, 2018 | 06:30 GMTDec 6, 2018

What to Expect from AMLO on Immigration

International and domestic factors will push new Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to leave his predecessor's immigration policy largely intact.

Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador addresses the media in Mexico City on July 5, 2018.

Assessments Dec 1, 2018 | 10:00 GMTDec 1, 2018

How Lopez Obrador's Election as President Will Change Mexico

Thanks to congressional majorities, the man popularly known as AMLO will become the strongest Mexican president in decades when he takes office Dec. 1.

Snapshots Nov 27, 2018 | 18:57 GMTNov 27, 2018

Mexico: What the President-Elect's Call for a Moral Constitution Means

Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's new moral constitution reportedly won't be legally binding, but that won't keep it from having policy implications.

New Peugeot and Citroen cars await shipment on the pier in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in February 2017.

Assessments Nov 12, 2018 | 11:00 GMTNov 12, 2018

Latin America's Auto Giants Strive to Secure Markets

Mexican carmarkers recently guaranteed themselves access to the United States. Now their Brazilian counterparts are looking to emulate the feat in a search for their own export markets.

A Mexican Army expert in protective gear displays crystal meth paste at a clandestine laboratory near la Rumorosa town in Tecate, Baja California state, Mexico on Aug. 28.

On Security Oct 23, 2018 | 05:30 GMTOct 23, 2018

How the Globalization of Mexican Business Helped Spread Crime

Mexico's burgeoning economy has enabled criminal elements to grow in symbiosis, utilizing the country's transport infrastructure to expand volume. But the tendrils of organized crime are now damaging the host.

By Scott Stewart

Mexican President-elect Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador speaks to reporters in Mexico City on July 5, 2018, to announce that his pick for foreign minister is former Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard.

Assessments Oct 19, 2018 | 09:00 GMTOct 19, 2018

Mexico's President-Elect Continues to Refine His Energy Policies

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador won't unduly exert himself to fulfill all of his campaign promises to overturn Mexico's contentious energy reforms, but he still might cause investors to fret.

Snapshots Oct 16, 2018 | 19:07 GMTOct 16, 2018

Mexico: President-Elect Plows Ahead With Plans for an Airport Vote

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is doubling down on his promise to hold a public vote on a controversial airport -- even at the price of straying into gray legal territory or worrying investors.

Mexican soldiers escort Oscar Pozos Jimenez (L) and Jose Serna Padilla, an alleged member of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion, in Guadalajara on March 18, 2012.

On Security Sep 25, 2018 | 08:30 GMTSep 25, 2018

What Happens When a Major Mexican Cartel Leader Falls?

The Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion is responsible for much of the violence plaguing Mexico, but removing its leader is unlikely to give the country the respite it needs.

By Scott Stewart