Mexico is the 11th most populous country in the world with a population of over 129 million. The economy of Mexico is highly diversified, with services accounting for 63.2%, industry for 35.5% and agriculture for 1.3%. It is the 15th largest economy in the world and 2nd largest in Latin America, behind Brazil. In 2017, Mexico’s foreign relations were characterized by strong ties with its North American neighbors: the United States and Canada; and other Latin American countries, particularly Chile and Colombia. Mexico was also part of several international organizations such as G20, OECD, WTO, NAFTA and UNASUR. In terms of politics, Mexico has a multi-party system which includes three major parties: Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), National Action Party (PAN) and Party of Democratic Revolution (PRD). In 2017, PRI won the majority in both chambers of Congress as well as presidential elections under President Enrique Peña Nieto’s leadership. See militarynous for Mexico military and defense.
Yearbook 2017
Mexico. Election governor of Mexico’s most populous state, Estado de México, on June 4 became a major success for the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) when the party’s candidate Alfredo del Mazo Maza won over his closest rival Delfina Gómez from the National Renewal Movement (Morena). According to Countryaah.com, the victory margin was small – del Mazo received 34% of the votes cast against 31% for Gómez – but the victory was an important indication for PRI ahead of the 2018 presidential election, not least given that the state has 13% of the country’s electoral votes. Even in Coahuila’s governorship election, the party won but by an equal margin, and despite the victories, the election results in the two states, traditionally two of the most important attachments of the PRI, marked a weakening. PRI’s success was mainly due to a deep divide among the opposition parties, especially within the largest. See ABBREVIATIONFINDER for frequently used acronyms and abbreviations related to as well as country profile of Mexico.
The party was also persecuted by corruption scandals. Two former governors were arrested abroad during the year on suspicion of corruption and allegedly extradited to Mexico. The so-called Odebrecht scandal – a major corruption legacy surrounding a Brazilian construction company that has been paving the way in several Latin American countries – also reached Mexico during the year. However, the special investigator who was appointed to investigate the case was dismissed by the prosecutor in October with formalities as a reason, but the opposition criticized the decision as part of a darkening campaign by the government.
Several prison riots occurred during the year, the most serious in the Cadere area of Nuevo León in the northeast where 17 prisoners were killed in early October. The riots started as a protest against the notoriously inhumane living conditions in the prisons, but gang crime was also involved. Among other things, the prison chief was accused of conspiring with the crime syndicate Los Zetas.
Relations with the United States were characterized by the incoming President Donald Trump’s aggressive demeanor against Mexico. In June, the House of Representatives presented the disputed project to build a wall along the border with planned construction in March or April 2018. Trump’s demand for Mexico to cover costs was categorically rejected and not unexpectedly by President Enrique Peña Nieto, and funding for the project remained unclear. The NAFTA Free Trade Agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico has also been criticized by Trump as a major failure and a loss business for the United States, and he periodically talked about resigning completely. In August, however, talks began in Washington on a renegotiation of the agreement. The stated purpose was to arrive at a result at the end of the year or at the beginning of 2018.
Southern Mexico was hit by two major earthquakes on September 7 and 19, of which the latter was the most devastating. The epicenter was located 55 kilometers south of the city of Puebla and was felt throughout central Mexico, including the capital Mexico City where several buildings collapsed. A total of 370 people were killed and more than 6,000 were injured. Ironically, the earthquake occurred on the anniversary of the fatal earthquake in 1985 and many people had earlier in the day participated in exercises that have been held since September 19.
Climate
Different climate zones: subtropical in the north, otherwise predominantly tropical and humid (summer rainy season). Rainfall is abundant on the Atlantic coast, while parts of the highlands and the Pacific coast are in rain shadow. The northwest is extremely dry and very hot in summer. In the south, the average temperatures are 25 ° C – 28 ° C. Cyclones are frequent in the coastal flatlands and in the foothills of the Sierra Madre. It is constantly humid and humid on the Yucatan Peninsula.