Mexico on the scene:

[rmnunez]

Here we will discuss the developments in Mexico, an often disregarded and fascinating area where we find bloated bureaucracies with institutionalized corruption, nude dancers in the legislature, nepotism and a complete absence of the most basic judicial security.

There is no social 'safety-net' either so everyone basically makes their own way illegitimately, with pirated and adulterated goods, drugs, no insurance, no unemployment, no welfare, inadequate medical coverage and the lowest rate of public education in Latin America.

In the US they number so many they remit a third of Mexico's GNP (as much as they earn from oil) from the US annually (and its mostly small savings from millions of poorly paid menials). Allegedly 4 thousand cross the border daily (usually its nightly) risking life and limb as they evade armed posses of thugs, legitimate law enforcement armed with rubber bulllets and nightvisioned drones, moats, fences, bullwarks and walls, watchtowers with floodlights reminiscent of East Germany.

They are now around 25 million and it is forecasted by 2010 they will be the largest identifiable ethnic group in the US.

[bishop]

it's good to see that recently incoming fdi has been focused on domestic consumption, rather than exports.

but as far as i know, you have some serious regional problems in mexico.. the neglected south has gotten poorer and poorer, and they've been invading the cities. can't spend any money since you guys are heavily indebted to the imf.... i know that fox was trying to renegotiate the terms of repayment - has he had any success?

[rmnunez]

Mexico is probably the most afluent of Latin America in terms of per capita income and absolute wealth. It has a higher GNP than any other Latin American country and the wealthiest Latin American (Carlos Slim). The South will be taken care of with the Plan Puebla-Panamá highway. Mexico settled a sustantial element of its foreign debt 14 years ahead of time two years ago, the economy is booming and I can count seven cranes atop highrises on the road to Cuajimalpa outside the capital. A few months ago Fox cut the ribbon at Torremayor (Latin America's tallest skyscrapper on Reforma) and a few blocks away they've already sunk the foundations of the one to surpass it next. Over 5 thousand people are directly employed by City Hall in the capital alone on roadwork (they are building an elevated periferal ringroad). Mexico invests in third world development.

[Nono]

Quote by: rmnunez (Mexico has) the lowest rate of public education in Latin America.

What does this mean? The lowest percentage of children enrolled in publicly funded schools?

At any rate, I'm surprised to hear this. I would have thought that it would have been one of the ultra-poor countries like Bolivia.

[rmnunez]

The lowest percentage of kids enrolled in public education, highest dropout rate, lowest average educational level, highest rate of illiteracy and poorest academic performance on standardized tests.

[rmnunez]

Hispanics are the 'warmer' colours on this map.

[Chris]

man, is there a legend to that map? What does the color represent? Percentage?

Plus where did you get it?

[Nono]

It is interesting. New York + environs and Chicago look virtually Latino-free (which is weird) while there are these surprising pockets up in Washington state that I've never heard of.

The fact is that Latinos are now present in the US in huge numbers. I was in a store in a small, rural town in Kentucky last year and, sure enough, the people beside me started speaking Spanish.

Demographic changes sneak up on you. I read a couple of years ago that if current trends hold, French will eventually be replaced as Canada's second language by ... Cantonese.

[RickSp]

Quote by: Nono It is interesting. New York + environs and Chicago look virtually Latino-free (which is weird) while there are these surprising pockets up in Washington state that I've never heard of. The fact is that Latinos are now present in the US in huge numbers. I was in a store in a small, rural town in Kentucky last year and, sure enough, the people beside me started speaking Spanish. Demographic changes sneak up on you. I read a couple of years ago that if current trends hold, French will eventually be replaced as Canada's second language by ... Cantonese.

New York is hardly "Latinio" free. There are just fewer Mexicans, relatively speaking. New York has a sizeable Hispanic community, largely Puerto Rican but with sizeable Dominican and Central American communities. Hispanics passed blacks as the largest minority group in the mid-nineties. New York City is approaching 30% Hispanic.

New York has currently over a 33% immigrant population. Something like 56% are foreign born or the children of foreign born. The rise in immigration has helped revitalize large sections of the city that had been in decline.

The Hispanic population in the US overall rose by 61% between 1990 and 2000.

We are still a land of immigrants. No matter what the nativists might cry, that is still a very good thing.

[bishop]

i'd like to see proof that mexico is the wealthiest latin american country.. frankly, i don't believe that. your economy has been sputtering for the past 4-5 years, and hasn't managed to get GDP growth to even hit 2% per annum.

your society is incredibly unequal, as 40% of your population live below the poverty line. and your debt stands at about 25% of your GDP. the spending costs necessary to integrate these 40% are very high, and i don't think you can afford to push your debt much higher. not with an economy that doesn't even generate $1 trillion in GDP.

while clearly better than other latin american economies, you guys still have a long, long way to go.


how much does your oil industry earn (since you said that illegal immigrant remittance is the same)? that means that mexican laborers are sucking money out of our capital account and making the situation here worse for americans. of course, what they're doing isn't even comparable to what our elected representatives are doing.

[bishop]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5305463/site/newsweek/

The poor aren't the only ones who are angry. In Mexico, which has arguably the fastest-growing middle class in the hemisphere, there exists a pervasive sense of bitterness. "You can't sustain democracy if it doesn't provide results. No security, no growth," says Mexican political economist Lorenzo Meyer. "I see it in my own life. I have work but my son doesn't. I'm angry, sad. Democracy hasn't brought anything better. It's just democracy by default. What we're losing is our optimism." Analysts expect more violence, with calls for the return of strongmen who can deliver prosperity—men like Augusto Pinochet of Chile. That would take Latin America back to the 1970s, when it started to lose its way. Is that progress?

[RickSp]

Why not look up the figures yourself?

Mexico has a per capita GDP of $9,000 with 40% of the population living in poverty.
Costa Rica has a per capita GDP of $9,100 with 21% of the population living in poverty.
Brazil has a per capita GDP of $7,600 with 22% of the population living in poverty.
Venezuela has a per capita GDP of $4,800 with 47% of the population living in poverty.
Argentina has a per capita GDP of $11,200 with 52% of the population living in poverty.

For comparison purposes, the US has a per capita GDP of $37,800 with 12% of the population living in poverty.

[bishop]

Why not look up the figures yourself?

sometimes i'd just prefer that the people who post the statements back them up themselves. thanks for putting in the effort though.

i think he said that GNP was the highest though. not that anyone ever really focuses on GNP, but....

chili's GDP per capita is $9,900 - with 21% living in poverty. sounds much better than mexico to me.

[RickSp]

Mexico is probably the most afluent of Latin America in terms of per capita income and absolute wealth. It has a higher GNP than any other Latin American country and the wealthiest Latin American (Carlos Slim)

I cannot speak for Senor Slim, but every other statement in the sentence above appears to be wrong.

[Chris]

Quote by: Nono It is interesting. New York + environs and Chicago look virtually Latino-free (which is weird) while there are these surprising pockets up in Washington state that I've never heard of. The fact is that Latinos are now present in the US in huge numbers. I was in a store in a small, rural town in Kentucky last year and, sure enough, the people beside me started speaking Spanish. Demographic changes sneak up on you. I read a couple of years ago that if current trends hold, French will eventually be replaced as Canada's second language by ... Cantonese.

Yes in Yakima WA the town has more mexicans than americans. It is because of the apple growing community.

[rmnunez]

Mexico's financials are very positive in every aspect, as I said, the economy is booming, there are lots of tall buildings going up, they are spending huge sums on improving roads, airports, new universities, harbours, whle resorts and railways, they are computerizing the public schools in remote areas... Mexico is certainly current with its foreign debt, it is said to have a positive credit rating. We've seen about 3 thousand maquiladoras open or re-open in the past couple of years, they sell Seats and Nissans like hotcakes, everyone has a cell phone, PCs proliferate and everyone has to get the latest flat-screens, we get the top entertainers at the Auditorio and from the Emmys or Grammys too.

The gringoes need to know Mexico has changed, Fox's government was for "cambio" and he has delivered with creces. They've got a soci-populistic mayor in the capital (with 20% of the population) who is spending federal funds like there's no tomorrow. Slim paid Giuliani $2 million to revamp the city police (public safety is a serious problem). Meanwhile the government is competing with investments and improvements all over the place, jobs are generated.

The public safety problem Slim so generously had studied, is a symptom of what is better termed judicial insecurity, where businesses are uncertain of their rights despite access to a laborious, slow and notoriously corrupt legal system. This affects business where clients prevail but cannot collect, where appeals establish no precedent. Notwithstanding these difficulties, there is a positive impact; the government is collecting more taxes, people are purchasing homes, the real unemployment rate is about 3.5%. Oil prices have risen substantially and this is about a third of the GNP (and of the government's budget).

I think its ridiculous to compare Mexico and Costa Rica's economies.

[rmnunez]

Carlos Slim Helu

Net Worth: $13.9 bil Country of citizenship: Mexico Residence: Mexico City, Mexico Industry: Communications Marital Status: widowed , 6 children Latin America's richest man is $5.5 billion richer this year, thanks to windfall profits and stock surges from his flagship Téléfonos de México and América Movil telcos. The former, a virtual landline monopoly, is notorious for undercutting the competition. On the political front, Slim, as he's known, has become a vocal opponent of free trade and free markets prescriptions for developing Latin economies. His argument: After 20 years of clinging to that advice, the Mexicans have nothing to show for it.

http://www.forbes.com/finance/lists/...atatype=Person

[bishop]

would've been nice if you addressed some of the previous posts....

you don't have anything to say about the 40% living below poverty, or the fact that inequality is increasing in mexico? a country where 40% live below poverty isn't much to be proud of i'm afraid.

[Chris]

[quote=rmnunez] Carlos Slim Helu

Net Worth: $13.9 bil Country of citizenship: Mexico Residence: Mexico City, Mexico Industry: Communications Marital Status: widowed , 6 children

Heh... One dude

[Chris]

Ill be the first to admit though, Mexican food is some damn good eating.