Mexican Jitters

I love the history of Mexico. From the earliest Mayan times to the 1910 Revolution in Mexico it's history has fascinated me and remains a gripping story. Even today, Mexico is still making headlines via it's gruesome drug war against certain cartels which are vying to control the drug trafficking routes to the United States (El Norte). Millions of Mexican immigrants in the past 30 years have entered that country, especially when the Mexican Peso collapsed in 1982. Though the Mexican economy is now a trillion dollar economy like the United State's other neighbour Canada, it has 70 million more people to feed and thousands of immigrants are still streaming into the United States for work. The United Mexican States is still a country in trouble especially on the eve of the country's bicentennial of independance.

100 years ago, on it's centennial of independance from Spain, the country launched itself into a 10 year revolution which decimated the country - literally. Porifio Diaz, the dictator of the nation held an election so fradulent that his challenger Francisco Madero only garnered a few votes across the country. Riots, rebel armies eventually sprang up and Diaz went into exile. Madero and the generals who assumed the title of President after him were assasinated all the while battles were raging across the country and the US had sent in troops to find Pancho Villa - another rebel leader. Finally, Alvaro Obregon - a general who defeated Pancho Villa at the Battle of Celaya despite losing an arm at that battle became President after the deaths of 900,000+ Mexicans.

100 years before that, Napoleon's invasion of Spain sent shockwaves across the New World and of course it's biggest colony - Mexico was shortly affected. The first leader of the revolution (a priest!) was defeated in battle and was captured before he reached the US border. Jose Maria Morales, Vicente Guerrero (both of significant African descent) and Agustin de Iturbide ( a Basque) became powerful leaders with the latter becoming Mexico's first Emperor. Eventually after eleven years of war Guadeloupe Victoria became Mexico's first President.

Now, let's fast forward to today. The Zapatista guerrillas are still active, Cartels rule Northern Mexico, the GPD contracted more than five percent during the global recession, La Santa Muerte is becoming a national religion. If political independance and land reform were important for the first two major upheavals of Mexican history what would be the third one? Legalization of narcotics? Or maybe Globalization? Since 1994, the United Mexican States have become more and more interconnected with the rest of North America econonically, politically and legally. The marginlization of many Mexicans and the augmentation of those who're able to manipulate the system (gun runners and drug dealers) are changing Mexican society. American society as well with a significant portion of the population (30%) being Hispanic of predominately Mexican descent in 40 years time.

No matter what calamity might occur in Mexico this year, the US should note that whatever happens to Mexico will always affect the United States. Most often negatively as well. This is one issue that will unite Mexicans and Americans to pray for a peaceful, non-revolutionary year.