Mexico and Its Border with the U.S

Mexico is quite a large country, spiraling down from its long border with the United States to far shorter boundaries with Guatemala and Belize. Yet, most Americans equate Mexico with its northern border area, a place increasingly infamous for drug-related violence, illegal crossings, and much publicized plans to construct high walls and electronics-equipped watch towers and even to deploy troops, possibly including the National Guard. Additionally, a trade war, now relatively minor but with the potential to create real problems for businesses and consumers on both sides of the border, has erupted due to Congress's recent rescinding of a NAFTA-inspired program allowing Mexican truckers to deliver export goods to distribution centers in a number of U.S. cities. Dealing with these issues in talks with U.S. officials, including President Obama, is Mexican President Felipe Calderon, whose reputation and continued popularity are being undermined by lack of apparent progress on several fronts.

Many in Mexico blame Calderon for the rapid rise in violence as his efforts to crack down on traffickers and corrupt police and judges have led to horrific retaliations in the form of bombings, beheadings, assorted gun violence, and kidnappings. The mayor of Ciudad Juarez now makes his home with his family across the border in El Paso, apparently driven out by serious threats from drug lords. His case is not unique, as other Mexicans with ties to the U.S.,whether legal or not, have decided it is far safer to stay in U.S. territory rather than to travel home on a regular basis. Possibly as a result, some southern U.S. cities, from Phoenix and Tuscon to San Antonio, have reported steep rises in drug-related crime. Tourism in resorts close to the border, like Rosarito Beach in Baja California, has suffered, although spring break parties in Cancun, far from the troubled U.S. boundaryline, are expected to carry on much as usual.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton noted during her recent visit to Mexico that the U.S. shares some of the fault for this dangerous situation on the border. Demand for marijuana and hard drugs remains high in the U.S. and arms trafficking, most of it illegal, chiefly travels one way, south to Mexico. Some observers call for quick solutions, such as legalizing soft drugs or closing the so-called gun-show loophole, a well-known market for obtaining guns without legal checks. But legalization of narcotics is not currently a viable consideration for either the Mexican or American administration. And gun shows are more typically a source for handguns and rifles, not the military-grade equipment which the drug gangs have taken to using in the past year or so.

Meanwhile, the worldwide economic slump has also hit Mexico as its chief trading partner, the U.S., has cut imports and jobs, even temporary jobs. Remittances from Mexican Americans sent to relatives in small towns all across Mexico have declined significantly and with far-reaching consequences for quality of life. On a national level, Mexico is doing relatively well, having just secured IMF assurances on a major credit package which bolsters foreign-exchange reserves. But many individuals are dealing with income losses and increasing insecurity. The coming July midterm elections, pitting Calderon's incumbent PAN party legislators against PRI candidates, many of whom support scaling back aggressive reform of the police force and targeting of narcotics kingpins, may be more about locally felt economic issues than the law-and-order issues of interest to the U.S. Moreover, by backpedaling on the Merida Initiative, the provision of funds, technical assistance, and hardware like helicopters to aid the war against drug trafficking in Mexico, the U.S. is hardly showing effective support for its poorer neighbor.

On a lighter note, and proof that Mexico has more going for it than the sobering facts and impressions reported above might indicate, consider the situation of popular regional Mexican music and its impact on the cellphone generation. Los Pikadientes, from Sonora state, had their debut album nominated for a grammy last year. The most popular song on the album was composed on a computer and shared virally by cellphones and YouTube. Music available on mobile phones is more than just a fad in Mexico. Many young Mexican Americans also download the songs or related ringtones, appreciating the sounds of their roots, having the tunes always at hand no matter what side of the border they call home.

Thousands of people cross the Mexico-U.S. border every day, traveling for business, education, shopping, work, or pleasure, with the vast majority of crossings unconnected to any sort of criminal purpose or being in any way newsworthy. And yet security is what first comes to mind when people talk about the border. Calderon himself has admitted that stemming the drug trade and reforming law enforcement, key elements in improving border security, are likely to take much longer than just his six-year term. Cross-cultural ties remain one hope for the future, whether the border is further fortified or not.

"Clinton wraps up Mexico trip", UPI
Chris Hawley, "Mexicans weary of drug war", USA Today
Catherine Bremer, "Mexico drug war, economy hobble Calderon's ambitions", Reuters
Gregory Rodriguez, "Mexico's drug war fallout", Los Angeles Times
Alan Beattie, "Mexico arranges $40bn line of credit in breakthrough for IMF", Financial Times
"Mexican remittances fall 3 percent in February", Houston Chronicle/Associated Press
Josh Kun, "Mexican Bands Hear Success Calling", New York Times