PAN entrega a IFE nueva lista para cubrir cuota de género / PAN hands in a new list to fulfill the gender quote

Anna Emanuelsson, 144639

Political Science Bachelor, Uppsala University 

On Monday afternoon the combating political parties in the upcoming Mexican election were directed by the Mexican electoral institute (IFE) to change their lists of candidates to fulfill the 40 % quote of gender representation. The conservative party, Partido Acción Nacional (PAN) was one of the parties that were told off for not presenting enough women as candidates in the House of Representatives, for the Mexican Senate and for the representation within the different districts. Mrs. Josefina Vasques Mota, the first female president candidate in Mexican history and leader of PAN, was given a deadline of 48 hours for presenting a new, gender quoted list of representatives of the party. On Wednesday morning the party complied with the demand and had substituted a considerable amount of male candidates with female candidates. According to a PAN representative, the party acted in time and followed through with the demands of IFE and substituted male candidates into areas in which PAN is usually less competitive. The same representative says that in the long run, it is necessary to change the concept of gender equality within the electorate rules. 

This hasty change of assembly within the political teams have raised criticism towards the concept of gender quotation. The critics say that quotation based on gender within the political parties puts the internal elections out of place, and damages the parties.

The news flow regarding the demand on the parties from IFE has dominated the bigger national newspapers over the last couple of days. The angry tone from PAN and PRI representatives regarding this issue comes as a surprise to me. Surely the different presidential parties knew beforehand about the rules of having at least 40 % representation of a single gender. The choice to ignore this rule has now generated problems for the parties themselves and undermined the position of the female candidates. This rule was not created to punish or make life “harder” for anyone, it was created to solve the problem of representation, which we all know is the backbone of any democratic government.

The negative reaction towards this requirement is in itself a democratic problem. If the interests of all groups of society are to be fulfilled, we need representation that reflects society, its interests, and its opinions. Politics that are aware and present, close and listening to what the people need and want and therefore represent the population is something worth aiming for. This cannot be reached with representatives that come from only one city, nor representatives that are all of one sex. Therefore, gender quotation is one way to resolve the problem of unequal representation.

Gender quotation is not a perfect solution and the problems that it creates are very well represented in this case. Angry men who were pushed aside for who they believe to be unqualified women without support within the party – lash out in the media. Their argument is that merits and qualifications are more important then gender. This might be true in many cases, but when it comes to democratic representation we must consider the inequality that is so obvious in the Mexican society, and ask ourselves why there are so few “qualified” women in the first place.

http://www.jornada.unam.mx/ultimas/2012/03/28/111713975-pan-entrega-a-ife-nuevas-listas-de-candidatos-para-cumplir-cuotas-de-genero

Would Hobbes say that Mexico is in a State of Nature?

Por Thomas Cummings 400587

Carrera RI – UDLAP

In Thomas Hobbes “State of Nature”, that is a society in its natural state or without any form of government or ruler to run it; he says that every individual would ideally have a right to everything. Thinking rationally, if everyone had a right to everything, obviously our rights will collide. My right to steal takes away your right to have for example. So in this state, according to Hobbes, it would be a war of all against all. His most famous work is his book, the Leviathan in which he says that our world would be one without culture, art, society, navigation or other commodities because all of this would require too much force. Worst of all, he says that the state of nature would be a world of continual fear, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short (chapter 8, Leviathan).

In Mexico, it is estimated that between 30 and 40 thousand citizens (or more) have died as a result of drug related deaths, over 15 thousand in 2010 alone. An article in the LA Times called La Plaza says that in Ciudad Juarez alone there were 976 people violently killed from the beginning of this year to June when the article was published. The situation is so bad that the US Department of State has issued travel warnings for Mexico. There are elevated accounts of kidnappings and robberies as well.

So, would Thomas Hobbes say that here in Mexico, the people are living in continual fear and danger of violent deaths? This would depend on the opinion of each individual but for some, it is an everyday reality. Would Hobbes say that Mexico is in a pre-political state, a State of Nature?

Many people have begun to go out less at night, travel less and live in fear of others in our society. According to Hobbes, this State of Nature is due to a lack of an authority figure and social contract that everyone abides by. Many would agree then that here Hobbes’ theory applies. Mexico lacks a government strong and healthy enough to guaranty security for its citizens and to penalize those who do not follow the rules. There are many people in this society who do not follow the rules of it but are not punished. The majority of the murders, robberies and assaults here are never solved.

I think that to go as far as to say that Mexico has no government or authority figure is an exaggeration. This country is exhibiting some of the symptoms explained by Thomas Hobbes in his State of Nature but it is not completely there, not all of the citizens act according to the theory that everyone has a right to everything. There are a few in the society who cause distrust in the majority. So, to conclude, it is probably an exaggeration to suppose that Mexico is in Hobbes’ State of Nature but some may agree that the country is on its way back in that direction, back towards a pre-political state due to the lack of a strong government.

Is the Merida Initiative Really Working?

Nicholas Allwell

Relaciones Internacionales – UDLAP

400356

Universidad de las Américas Puebla

            The Drug War in Mexico has created a lot of controversy in the United States about border security. And it’s understandable. Mexico has lost over 40,000 people as result of the violence brought about by the mafias who control the drug routes throughout the country. Not only that, but certain cartels have also begun to interest themselves in other illegal activities, such as human trafficking, gambling, and money laundering. Most recently, in 2007, the United States started the ‘Merida Initiative’, which was a way for the US to show its full support towards Mexico while it fights the Drug War President Calderón declared after he took office in 2006. The Merida Initiative’s effectiveness though has been criticized and the United States approach to curb the illegal transnational activities that occur over the border has been seen as preemptive, or even a little rash. The United States’ position towards the drug war in Mexico is a classic example of a world power trying to curb the threat of a clandestine organization. Though if you were one of the most powerful countries in the world threatened by a group of drug trafficking mafias at a border that stretches over 2,000 kilometers, one should ask how they would act differently.

            The Merida Initiative has been the largest plan by the United States government to prevent the flow of drugs into the United States in recent years. Between 2007 and 2010, the United States Department of State has pledged $1.4 billion to Mexico, Central America, and to the island of Hispaniola (Haiti and the Dominican Republic), with most funds being sent to Mexico. The four main goals of the Merida Initiative are: (1) break the power and impunity of criminal organizations; (2) strengthen border, air, and maritime controls; (3) improve the capacity of justice systems in the region; and (4) curtail gang activity and diminish the demand for drugs in the region (GAO-10-253R Mérida Initiative Funding, 5). Much of the aid has been given through training to improve intelligence and drug trafficking enforcement, along with training and support for technology and new equipment given through US funding.

            Although it is nice to see that the funding given by the Merida Initiative has gone past just sending millions of dollars to foreign governments, the results haven’t been as successful as originally hoped. One could say that the problem is that the United States government is handling the current drug war situation in Mexico like President Reagan handled the drug problem in the US in the 1980’s. The technology and intelligence sent from the US government to the Mexican government is used for the goal of incarcerating those who traffic drugs. The US State Department has said that in order to end the Mexican Drug War, one must go straight to the source and cut off the drug trade from its roots. Although this may be true, is it really effective and efficient to simply arrest as many people involved with the drug trade as possible, and then put them in prison where they able to collude with other members of drug cartels? Along with that, can the United States be confident in the Mexican judicial system? Since the point when President Felipe Calderón declared his war against the Mexican drug cartels, hundreds, and possibly even thousands of people have escaped from Mexican prisons, including the head of the Sinaloa Cartel, Joaquín Guzmán Loera (el Chapo, or ‘Shorty’ in English).

            The point being made is not to discredit the United States government’s attempts to curb the drug trade in Mexico and protect its border, nor the Mexican government’s attempts to end the violence in its country. Though the inefficiency brought by corruption in Mexico and the American government’s inability to change its policy towards the problem of drugs trafficked through Mexico is not helping. Until both countries change certain policies domestically and externally, the Merida initiative will be a waste of funds that will be considered a noble, but futile attempt on the part of the US State Department to win the drug war and protect its southern border.

Works Cited

Brands, Hal. United States. US Army War of College Strategic Studies Institute.

            MEXICO'S NARCO-INSURGENCY AND U.S. COUNTERDRUG POLICY. 2009.

"Mérida Initiative." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 6, Oct 2011. Web.

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merida_initiative>.

Millete, James L. United States. Government Accountability Office.

Status of Funds for the Mérida Initiative. Washington D.C.. 2009.

Una Nación Enferma

Adrián Vargas Riestra

Ciencia Política

141232

Universidad de las Americas Puebla

Banderas, adornos, luces, sombreros y una gran fiesta.  

Cuando era pequeño esto era la realidad del tan esperado mes de septiembre, esas fechas de alegría, mariachis, tequila y el faustoso grito de independencia, realidad que hoy a mis 21 años es completamente diferente.

Sé que no soy el único que nota la decadencia en el espíritu nacionalista de los mexicanos, sé que no soy el único decepcionado y con pocas ganas de celebrar y sé que no sólo yo mantengo un latente sentido de desesperanza y preocupación por nuestro país.

Pero lo interesante aquí, es qué ha provocado este sentimiento, porque si de algo se puede jactar la sociedad mexicana es de su gran habilidad y optimismo para superar obstáculos y tropiezos, hemos sobrevivido gran cantidad de crisis económicas, gobiernos y políticas autoritarias al igual que fuertes desastres naturales, pero los mexicanos jamás habíamos perdido esa inigualable virtud de sortear los problemas con esfuerzo y la frente en alto.

Porque ni todos estos problemas lograron que perdiéramos el amor por la patria, aquel amor plasmado en la historia con cada celebración patriótica, aquel amor que sentíamos con cada grito de ¡Viva México!, aquel amor expresado en cada justa deportiva, aquel gran amor que todos compartíamos por nuestra nación.

Lamentablemente me duele decir que este imponente y emocionante amor se está perdiendo, y no sabemos con certeza si se debe a la situación de inseguridad que estamos viviendo actualmente o si es la perdida de fe en la democracia la que ya está empezando a pasarnos la factura, pero lo único que sí sabemos es que cada día los mexicanos tenemos más angustias, mas peligros, menos fe y por supuesto mucho pero mucho más miedo.

En lo personal el miedo es el sentimiento más latente que reina en mi cabeza, y esto no solamente involucra aspectos de inseguridad sino algo mucho más angustiante, esto es aquel pensamiento que simboliza la falta de confianza en nuestro futuro como país, y creo que aquí tenemos una posible respuesta a nuestra falta de nacionalismo, ya que en épocas pasadas los mexicanos se ponían de pie y levantaban la vista al futuro, el cual siempre pintaban con dotes de optimismo y mejoría, no por nada la sociedad mexicana ha demostrado durante los desastres su gran capacidad de solidaridad y pasión por ayudar a los otros.

¿Pero actualmente que está sucediendo?

Los enemigos a vencer no tienen cara y muchas veces viven entre nosotros sin importar la condición o el estrato socio-económico,  estos enemigos son los que han logrado sumergirnos en el miedo, el mismo miedo que está destruyendo nuestras fiestas patrias y nuestros sentimientos patrióticos, el terrible miedo que esta dividiendo a la nación entre buenos y malos, es este miedo el que ha logrado que el mexicano no quiera reclamar sus derechos y detener los abusos cometidos en su contra por aquellos elegidos para protegernos, es por esto que el miedo ha probado ser la mejor herramienta del enemigo.

Esto lo digo porque el miedo es fácil de contagiar, fácil de implantar y sus resultados crecen exponencialmente, de hecho es muy parecido a un virus que carcome e infecta a todos aquellos sin protección.

Yo por último, sólo puedo decir que nuestra nación se encuentra en un estado inconveniente, en una situación riesgosa y en una posición poco saludable, ya que México está enfermo y fuertemente infectado por un muy pero muy letal y extremadamente doloroso VIRUS el cual es el MIEDO.