Just who is Mexican President Enrique Nieto?
He is the 57th president of Mexico, he took office last December, and his name is Enrique Peña Nieto. President Nieto is the leader of the Mexican Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) which ruled Mexico for 71 continuous years until it lost in 2000 to the National Action Party (PAN). The return of Nieto and the PRI wasn’t completely peaceful: hundreds of protestors opposed his election. In the past, the PRI often obtained power through questionable, and usually fraudulent, means. Yet many Mexicans still believe that the PRI will be more effective against crime than the PAN. 60,000 Mexicans have been killed in the ongoing drug war over the past six years which Nieto has promised to fight through unusual means.
Nieto’s plan limits military involvement, and instead focuses on protecting citizens directly. He plans to create a 10,000 man police force to send into Mexico’s remote regions to limit egregious law-breaking, believing that because of the war, citizens have not been as well protected against extortion and murder. This signals a crucial change in Mexican counternarcotic policy. Whereas the previous administration attempted to directly take military action against the drug cartels, Nieto plans to shift focus from attack of the cartel to the protection of citizens, from war to the economy, from the military to industry.
Restoring legitimacy and the perception of safety is critical because Mexico has one of the most stable economies in Latin America, with low inflation and steady growth. However, organized drug and weapons trafficking have overshadowed Mexico’s economic achievements. Nieto’s large-scale plan prioritizes the economy over waging a drug war. The economic empowerment will bolster both the Mexican government and its citizens which will allow the Mexican government to better protect its citizens and limit the power of the drug cartels.
Yet not all Mexicans here are enthusiastic about Enrique Nieto’s rise to power. For many decades when the PRI had a stronghold on Mexico’s politics, the party worked indirectly with the drug cartels through a tacit agreement to not make laws too tough on crime in exchange for few direct murders and some political organization within the cartels. Enrique Nieto promises Mexico to lead a new PRI with this new citizen-focused agenda.
Nieto’s ascension raises concerns in the United States about the extent to which Mexico will cooperate with U.S. officials in limiting drug trafficking across the border. If Mexican officials are unwilling to directly confront the drug cartels for a period of time, U.S. officials will have to exert extra strain to combat weapon trafficking and fight the drug war. Nieto counters that Mexico needs long-term solutions which are worth short-term losses. An economically secure Mexico will definitely be a more capable neighbor and stronger ally to the United States than an economically weak Mexico. The question is: will Nieto’s strategy succeed?
Even if Nieto’s plan works, how long will it take Mexico to reach a level of economic stability that it can be a more equal partner to the United States? And how will drug cartels react in the interim? Enrique Nieto has only been in power for two months, so it’s unclear exactly what his policies will be. For now, Mexico is receptive to his fresh approach, and he represents a fascinating new arc in the Mexico’s history.