Review Questions

THIS PARTY RULED UNINTERRUPTED FROM 1920’S TO 2000.

PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party)

In the 1990’s the Federal Electoral Institute was implemented to do this

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* Monitoring of campaign donations + impartial observers from all parties encouraged. 
* Fraud investigated + prosecuted more effectively. 

Was the Federal Electoral Institute successful in monitoring elections and investigating fraud?

* Elections became more competitive + smaller parties began to prosper:
* 1990 – opposition parties began to win seats in Congress.
* 1997 – PRI loses majority in Congress
* 2000 – PRI Presidential candidate defeated 

How often do Presidential elections occur?

every 6 years

How are Presidents elected?

Plurality

Who is the current President

Andrés Manuel López Obrador

Name Mexico’s main political parties and which one does the Prez belong to?

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* PRI – party of power in the past, more centrist 
* PAN – catch all party – richer north (was in power 2 times before current)
* PRD - ideological party – socialists – more populous, younger/south
* Prez Belongs to Morena - National Regeneration Movement - socialist

Has Mexico supported women in politics (be specific)?

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* 30% minimum of female candidates for each party
* Women have won leadership roles
* PRI is committed to have 50% women 
* Party lists from PR help ensure diversity

Does Mexico currently have Free, Fair, Regular and competitive elections?

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* Yes!

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What is Mexico’s patron-client networks based on rewards called?

Camarillas

What is referred to Mexico's inward-looking development strategy that produced sustained economic growth from the 1940s until the 1970s.

The Mexican miracle

In 1999, this opposition PAN Presidential candidate upsets PRI, signaling end of PRI dominance.

• Vincent Fox

• Calderon followed by being elected in 2006

Not surprisingly for being large + culturally diverse, Mexico is structured as this kind of state

federation

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Who is the head of state? (name and title)

* President (Obrador)

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* Who is the head of government?
* President (Obrador)

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Mexico is bicameral with the chamber of deputies and this

* The senate

How is the Senate elected?

Mixed SMD and PR

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Mexico’s legal system is based on 

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* code/civil law

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What is Mexico’s top court called? Do they have Judicial review?

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* Supreme Court
* No, political and judicial corruption, perception that everyone is connected. 

What approach to managing interest groups did Mexico have for many years during PRI dominance?And what is it arguably moving toward today?

• Corporatism

• Pluralism??

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Being in media in Mexico is a job that many people want, T or F.

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* False!
* Journalism is considered a very dangerous career in Mexico thanks to drug related violence and corruption. 

Most government policies are heavily influenced by the conservative Christian beliefs held by most Mexicans. Give an example.

• No.

• Most Mexicans are Catholic and politically secular .

• Strong tradition of secularism + limiting of religious influence on policy-making, led to legalization of same-sex marriage, as well as abortion.

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If you were to generalize, who would live in the south and north of Mexico?

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* South – aboriginal and poor
* North – rich and conservative 

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Name human rights concerns in Mexico

* Gap of rich and poor
* Drug/cartel issues (corruption)
* Increase in population – stress of infrastructure and services
* Poverty cycle
* Marginalized ethnicities – aboriginals (Chiapas rebellion)
* USA border (illegal migration/drugs)

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What agreement did Mexico/Canada/U.S sign in 1994?

**NAFTA (USMCA)**

What was the purpose?

To reduce costs of trade between countries 

What was the purpose of NAFTA (USMCA)?

To reduce costs of trade between countries 

(doubled food for Mexicans, less farmers need therefore loss of jobs, increase gap of rich & poor)

(Mexican exports increase dramatically - ie fruit.) economy diversified 

(Maquiladoras - factories along US border - cheap labour for US - poor working standards)

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Being in media in Mexico is a job that many people want, T or F.

* FALSE!
* Military playing role of police, rather than political “king-makers” (common prior to PRI period. )

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Mexico’s Oil Company

PEMEX 1938 - State owned oil company 

2013 - privatized - allowed foreign investment

 - gov’t lost monopoly over gas sales but pays lower taxes to the gov’t. 

– gov’t doesn’t control workers and board members anymore 

\- goal to attract foreign investment & expertise - private investments in PEMEX have helped increase GDP

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\-Obrador 2020- put the brakes on foreign investment & invest back to PEMEX - divisive decision