Country Profile

More than a decade of multi-party elections have consolidated Mexico’s transition to democracy, while the current administration’s ambitious reform agenda promises to take the country to its next phase of development. In less than two years in office, the government of Enrique Peña Nieto has accomplished a great deal. Radical changes in education, telecoms and energy, among other areas, aim to bring dynamism to the economy and have attracted significant global attention along with foreign investment. With 12 foreign trade agreements involving 45 countries, Mexico has one of the most globally integrated economies in the world. Nonetheless, significant challenges remain for the second-largest economy in Latin America. High poverty and inequality rates, as well as drug-related violence, continue to hamper social development. This chapter includes interviews with President Enrique Peña Nieto; US President Barack Obama; Luis Videgaray Caso, Minister of Finance and Public Credit; and José Antonio Meade Kuribreña, Minister of Foreign Affairs.