By Juanita Islas and Gabrielle Velasco, Mexico Institute interns
Mexico ranks 103 out of 175 in the Corruption Index. This info-graphic by the Mexico Institute illustrates measures undertaken by the Mexican State to address the challenges of transparency and corruption in the country.
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2/9/2015 La Silla Rota
By Andrew Selee, Executive Vice President of the Wilson Center and Senior Advisor to the Mexico Institute
En un nuevo libro publicado por el Centro Wilson, Luis Rubio argumenta que México necesita de un estadista que está dispuesto a ceder poderes informales en aras de hacer funcionar el gobierno como debe de ser. En el libro Una Utopía Mexicana: El Estado de Derecho es Posible argumenta que el presidente mexicano en turno goza de amplios poderes informales sobre los gobernadores, legisladores y el sistema judicial, pero que carece de un Estado que funcione bien o que tenga instituciones capaces de llevar a cabo sus funciones y sus proyectos.
Frente a esta contradicción, un presidente poderoso con un Estado deficiente, Rubio propone un trueque interesante: Que el presidente que de veras quiere gobernar bien y con efectividad se dedique a construir un Estado de derecho que limita sus poderes informales, pero amplía las funciones formales del Estado. Sería un cambio de discreción por funcionalidad, de margen de maniobra por capacidad de gobernar.
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The Mexico Institute is pleased to publish a new book by Wilson Center Global Fellow Luis Rubio, A Mexican Utopia: The Rule of Law is Possible.
“The proposal of the book is very simple, and appears utopian, thus its title: the President makes the Rule of Law his own and decides not to violate its elementary principles for the sake of expediency. That is, that he break with all legal, presidential and political tradition that has historically permitted presidents to adapt the laws to their own needs and convenience, to impose their will on legislative and judicial powers, to control the state governors and, in short, enjoy enormous, albeit temporary, power. As practically all former presidents have found after their mandate, that power was in the last analysis ephemeral. The proposal is to institutionalize political power by means of the elevation of the Rule of Law by the President of the Republic.”
Download the book here, available in both English and Spanish.
Leave a Comment » | Democracy and Elections, Security and the Rule of Law | Tagged: Corruption, democracy, Luis Rubio, Mexico, Rule of Law, Security | Permalink
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WHEN: Wednesday, January 28th, 9:00-11:00am
WHERE: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, DC
The Woodrow Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute is pleased to invite you to a book launch and discussion of the rule of law in Mexico. Wilson Center Global Fellow Luis Rubio will present his book A Mexican Utopia: The Rule of Law is Possible. After his presentation, several leading analysts will discuss the development of the rule of law in Mexico, noting challenges and offering policy prescriptions. Speakers will include Luis de la Calle, Veronica Ortiz-Ortega, Amb. Jeffrey Davidow, and Edna Jaime. We hope you are able to join us for what is sure to be an informative and interesting event.
“The proposal of the book is very simple, and appears utopian, thus its title: the President makes the Rule of Law his own and decides not to violate its elementary principles for the sake of expediency. That is, he break with all legal, presidential and political tradition that has historically permitted presidents to adapt the laws to their own needs and convenience, to impose their will on legislative and judicial powers, to control the state governors and, in short, enjoy enormous, albeit temporary, power. As practially all former presidents have found after their mandate, that power was in the last analysis ephemeral. The proposal is to institutionalize political power by means of the elevation of the Rule of Law by the President of the Republic.”
-Luis Rubio, A Mexican Utopia: The Rule of Law is Possible
To RSVP, click here.
To learn more about the event, click here. A live webcast will be available here.
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1/26/2015 La Silla Rota
By Andrew Selee, Executive Vice President of the Wilson Center and Senior Advisor to the Mexico Institute
El año 2015 ha iniciado con mucho escepticismo para los ciudadanos mexicanos sobre sus representantes electos. Para los políticos que pensaban que el puente Guadalupe Reyes iba a curar el desánimo de la población hacia sus gobernantes, no ha resultado así. Es probable que las protestas por Ayotzinapa vayan perdiendo fuerza, pero la decepción ciudadana por varios hechos del año pasado, y en general en los últimos años, no parece haber desaparecido.
El problema de fondo es que la sociedad mexicana ha evolucionado más rápido en sus expectativas sobre la ética y la corrupción que el entendimiento y, ni decir, la actuación, de los políticos en este tema. Los políticos siguen pensando que la corrupción es un tema culturalmente aceptado entre los mexicanos, mientras que los ciudadanos ya están hartos del costo en dinero, productividad y vidas que ha generado la corrupción. Las protestas por Ayotzinapa y antes por las muertes de Villas Salvárcar, las bromas que circulan por Facebook y Twitter sobre la Casa Blanca, y el Corruptour en Monterrey, en que activistas locales de la ciudad llevan a sus paisanos a conocer a los puntos más álgidos del desfalco y complicidad en la capital regiomontana, son sólo síntomas del hartazgo que están sintiendo los ciudadanos.
Leave a Comment » | Security and the Rule of Law, The Expert Take | Tagged: Andrew Selee, Corruption, Rule of Law, Security | Permalink
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WHEN: Wednesday, January 28, 2015, 9am-11am
WHERE: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, DC
The Woodrow Wilson Center’s Mexico Institute is pleased to invite you to a book launch and discussion of the rule of law in Mexico. Wilson Center Global Fellow Luis Rubio will present his book A Mexican Utopia: The Rule of Law is Possible. After his presentation, several leading analysts will discuss the development of the rule of law in Mexico, noting challenges and offering policy prescriptions. Speakers include: Mexico Institute Director Duncan Wood, Luis Rubio, Luis de la Calle, Veronica Ortiz-Ortega, Edna Jaime, and Amb. Jeffrey Davidow. We hope you are able to join us for what is sure to be an informative and interesting event.
To register for the event, click here.
To learn more about the event, click here.
*A live webcast will be available.
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11/16/14 Wall Street Journal
What do the September disappearance of 43 university students from the custody of local police in the state of Guerrero, Mexico, and new allegations of federal corruption in the awarding of public infrastructure contracts have in common? Answer: They both show that Mexico still has a huge problem enforcing the rule of law. The two developments have sparked a political crisis that could sink Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) President Enrique Peña Nieto ’s ambitious reform agenda if he doesn’t take quick and decisive action to restore confidence. Until now the president has been able to ignore Mexico’s legendary lawlessness. He has been riding an international wave of excitement around the opening of the energy sector, with few questions asked. But unless he wants to make common cause with the hard left—which thinks it has him on the ropes because of the missing students—he needs to admit his mistakes, purge his cabinet and make the rule of law job No. 1.
Leave a Comment » | Crime & Violence, Security and the Rule of Law | Tagged: Corruption, Rule of Law, Security | Permalink
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