Opinion Archive

What to Make of Low Expectations

April 22, 2009

For those of us who champion an integrated North America, it was nice to see American flags welcoming President Obama along Paseo de la Reforma. With over 300 people in his committee, and coming on the heels of Secretary Clinton's working visit, it is obvious that the US president is making Mexico a priority and going well beyond photo opportunities and diplomatic niceties.

But one thing is to make Mexico a partner in fighting drug-related violence and another is to implement a vision based on mutual prosperity and continental friendship. Sadly, almost no one has great expectations regarding US-Mexico relations, anymore. Hence, both presidents are missing the opportunity to mold the most intense (and possibly even the most fruitful) relationship between any two countries in the world into a true partnership.

Nine years ago, the election of President Fox bolstered Mexico's democratic bona fides. Today, most have forgotten that during the 20th century analysts blamed Mexico's undemocratic PRI for our countries' limited relations. For a couple of days in early September of 2001, during Fox's visit to George Bush's Washington, it seemed that things could improve substantially. Then September 11th put paid to that illusion.

Suddenly, Mexico's democratic transition became a footnote. Americans demanded security, which our weak institutions could not offer. Worse, Mexicans, very much a socially laissez-faire people, weren't even conceptually ready to fully take control over their territory. Americans see security as a law and order issue; something that can be enforced immediately. Mexicans see security in a social context; something that can be fixed only by dealing with other "social injustices", as well. Exasperated by Mexico's inability to "get it", Americans started walling off the border.

Ironically, 9-11 made Mexico much more important to the US. Mexico's draconian visa rules for Middle Easterners and the myriad other ways that the Mexican government adapts its policies to its neighbor could very well have stopped one or more attacks on the US mainland. But, ignorant of their own profound relevance, Mexican authorities were unable to translate these concrete actions into respect. At the same time, the rise of drug-related violence, especially in border cities, showed an inept and corrupt police, which destroyed the Mexican government's credibility. In one of history's cruel ironies, the reviled PRI, in its heyday, could have offered the US the security it wanted, but a celebrated democratic Mexico could not.

The upshot is that, despite the fact that the US and Mexico are already profoundly integrated, neither country has been able to channel the momentous forces that lie behind integration. Misunderstanding the nature of the relationship, Mexico City and Washington often try to fight against the tide of history. The US Congress has even implemented its own version of continental containment.

Meanwhile, a beleaguered US bureaucracy does "the best it can" and Mexico's officials do their own best to humor the Americans, all the while fighting a war of attrition against the ill treatment of its undocumented citizens. Deep down, the Americans don't believe that Mexico could ever be a trustworthy neighbor, strong enough to be a true ally to the US. Similarly, the Mexicans don't believe that Americans could ever be anything but bully opportunists who hypocritically use the people they then discard.

Due to their low expectations with respect to the other, no one is even asking the right questions. Instead of seeing Ciudad Juárez' violence as an inevitable consequence of the "drug war", Mexicans should be asking what it is that makes its Mexican-American sister city of El Paso one of the safest in North America. Instead of seeing undocumented Mexican immigration as permanent, Americans should be asking what we can all do to help Mexico become a developed economy. Instead of chastising Americans for their horrible border fence, Mexicans should be asking what we need to do to make it unnecessary. Instead of seeing our common border as a source of problems, we should be asking how we can harness its energy for our mutual benefit.

After centuries of letting history beat them to a pulp, Europeans set forth a grand vision for a common future based on peace and prosperity. North America is not Europe and adopting the European Union model is neither politically feasible, nor necessarily desireable. But it is inexcusable for two integrated Western democracies to lack any sort of plan for the future beyond fighting narcotraffickers. Well into the 21st century, it is incredible that our governments are still constantly overwhelmed by history, unable to show even a modicum of long term leadership. Our 415 million people, out of which fully 137 million are either Mexican, or Mexican-American, need to start believing in themselves and in each other.

For the latest thought-provoking article by Agustin Barrios Gomez please go to our Opinion Column page

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