Mexico : Background and Issues.

Intro -- Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data -- Contents -- Preface -- Mexico-U.S. Relations: Issues for Congress( -- Summary -- Recent Developments -- Background on Mexico -- Political Developments -- Drug Trafficking and Heightened Violence and Crime in Mexico4 -- Economic Crisis and Nascent Recovery17 -- Foreign Policy Challenges -- Mexican-U.S. Relations -- Background -- Obama Administration -- U.S. Assistance to Mexico -- Bilateral Cooperation on Counternarcotics and Security Efforts -- Mérida Initiative36 -- Department of Defense Assistance to Mexico -- Related Security Cooperation with Mexico -- Money Laundering and Bulk Cash Smuggling -- Precursor Chemicals -- Weapons Trafficking52 -- Human Smuggling -- Human Rights Issues -- Compliance with Human Rights Conditions in the Mérida Initiative -- Accountability for Abuses Committed during the "Dirty War" Period -- Migration -- Cooperation in the Aftermath of the 2009 H1N1 "Swine Flu" Outbreak -- Trade Issues87 -- Functioning of NAFTA Institutions -- Trade Disputes -- Trucking93 -- Tuna -- North American Cooperation on Security and Economic Issues -- Legislation in the 111th Congress -- Enacted and Considered Legislation -- Additional Legislative Initiatives -- End Notes -- U.S.-Mexico Economic Relations: Trends, Issues, and Implications( -- Summary -- Introduction -- U.S.-Mexico Economic Trends -- U.S.-Mexico Merchandise Trade -- Mexico-U.S. Bilateral Foreign Direct Investment -- Mexico's Export-Oriented Assembly Plants8 -- Worker Remittances to Mexico -- Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America -- The Mexican Economy -- Economic Reform and the 1995 Currency Crisis -- Current Economic Conditions -- Mexico's Regional Free Trade Agreements -- NAFTA and the U.S.-Mexico Economic Relationship -- Effects on the U.S. Economy -- Effects on the Mexican Economy.

Major Issues in U.S.-Mexico Trade Relations -- Trucking -- Other Trade Issues -- Policy Issues -- End Notes -- MÉrida Initiative for Mexico and Central America: Funding and Policy Issues( -- Summary -- Introduction -- Background -- The Development of the Mérida Initiative -- Funding the MÉrida Initiative -- Mexico -- FY2008 Supplemental Appropriations -- FY2009 Omnibus and Supplemental Appropriations -- FY2010 Appropriations -- Non-Mérida Assistance for Mexico -- Central America -- FY2008 Supplemental Appropriations -- FY2009 Appropriations -- FY2010 Appropriations -- The Caribbean -- Other MÉrida Legislation in the 111th Congress -- Status of Implementation -- Policy Issues -- Is Mérida the Right Drug Control Approach?39 -- Balancing "Hard-side" and "Soft-side" Assistance -- Monitoring Progress -- Interagency Coordination -- Role of the Department of Defense -- U.S. Pledges under the Mérida Initiative -- Weapons Trafficking58 -- Drug Demand -- Bulk Cash Smuggling -- Mexico Policy Issues -- Domestic Counterdrug Efforts and Strategy -- Police Reform and Anti-Corruption Efforts -- Implementation of Judicial Reforms -- Protection of Human Rights -- Beyond the MÉrida Initiative -- U.S.-Mexican Security Cooperation -- Cooperation with Central America and the Central American Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) -- The Caribbean Basin Security Initiative103 -- Appendix A. Conditions on FY2008 Supplemental Assistance for MÉrida -- Mexico -- Central America, Haiti and the Dominican Republic -- End Notes -- Mexico's Drug-Related Violence( -- Summary -- Drug Trafficking in Mexico -- Background on Mexico's Anti-drug Efforts -- Major DTOs in Mexico15 -- Other Groups and Emergent Cartels -- The Mexican State v. The DTOs -- Pervasive Corruption and the Drug Trade -- Escalation of Violence in 2008 and 2009 -- Causes for the Spiraling Violence.

Location of the Violence and Mexico's Drug War Strategies -- The U.S. Policy Response -- The Mérida Initiative79 -- Implementation of Mérida -- Appendix. Hearings on Increased Drug Violence in the 111th Congress -- House -- Senate -- End Notes -- Mexico's Free Trade Agreements( -- Summary -- Introduction -- Motivations for Trade Integration -- Mexican Trade Liberalization -- Mexico's Trade Agreements -- Nafta -- Mexico-Costa Rica -- Mexico-Nicaragua -- Mexico-Chile -- Mexico-European Union -- Mexico-Israel -- Mexico-El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras -- Mexico-European Free Trade Association -- Mexico-Japan -- Partial Scope Agreements -- Mexico's Merchandise Trade -- Trade with the United States -- Trade Trends since Liberalization -- Economic Policy Challenges for Mexico -- Implications for U.S. Interests -- End Notes -- NAFTA and the Mexican Economy( -- Summary -- Introduction -- Mexico's Motivations for Entering NAFTA1 -- Economic Conditions in Mexico before and after NAFTA -- GDP Growth -- Poverty -- Effects of NAFTA on Mexico -- Economic Effects -- Mexican Wages and Per Capita GDP -- U.S.-Mexico Trade -- Regional Effects of NAFTA -- Mexico's Agricultural Sector and NAFTA -- Mexican Productivity, Exports and Prices -- Employment -- Rural-Urban Migration -- Mexican Programs for Farmers -- Views of NAFTA in Mexico -- Discussion -- Appendix. Map of Mexico -- End Notes -- Country Profile: Mexico( -- Historical Background -- Early Settlement and Pre-Columbian Civilizations -- Spanish Conquest, Colonization, and Christianization -- New Spain and the Mercantile Economy -- War of Independence -- Empire and Early Republic -- Mexican-American War, Civil War, and French Intervention -- Porfirio Díaz Era -- Mexican Revolution and Aftermath -- Consolidation of the Revolution -- Crisis and Recovery -- Transition to Democracy -- Geography -- Topography.

Principal Rivers -- Climate -- Natural Resources -- Land Use -- Environmental Factors -- Time Zones -- Society -- Population -- Demography -- Ethnic Groups -- Languages -- Religion -- Education and Literacy -- Health -- Welfare -- Economy -- Overview -- Gross Domestic Product (GDP) -- Government Budget and Public Finance -- Inflation -- Agriculture, Forestry, and Fishing -- Non-fuel Mining and Minerals -- Industry and Manufacturing -- Energy -- Services -- Banking and Finance -- Labor -- Foreign Economic Relations -- Trade Balance -- Balance of Payments -- External Debt -- Foreign Investment -- Foreign Aid -- Currency and Exchange Rate -- Fiscal Year -- Transportation and Telecommunications -- Overview -- Roads -- Railroads -- Ports -- Inland Waterways -- Civil Aviation and Airports -- Telecommunications -- Government and Politics -- Political System -- Constitution -- Branches of Government -- Administrative Divisions -- State and Local Government -- Judicial and Legal System -- Electoral System -- Politics and Political Parties -- Mass Media -- Foreign Relations -- Membership in International Organizations -- Major International Treaties -- National Security -- Armed Forces Overview -- Foreign Military Relations -- External Threat -- Defense Budget -- Major Military Units -- Major Military Equipment -- Military Service -- Paramilitary Forces -- Foreign Military Forces -- Military Forces Abroad -- Police -- Internal Threat -- Terrorism -- Human Rights -- Country Analysis Briefs: Mexico( -- Background -- Oil -- Sector Organization -- Exploration and Production -- Chicontepec -- Crude Varieties -- Pipelines -- Oil Trade -- Oil Exports -- Oil Imports -- Long-Term Developments in Mexico's Oil Trade -- Downstream -- Natural Gas -- Sector Organization -- Pipelines and Storage -- Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) -- East Coast -- West Coast -- Electricity.

Sector Organization -- Conventional Thermal -- Other Sources -- International Trade -- Quick Facts -- Links -- Sources -- Index -- Blank Page.

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Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2024. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.