The analysis of Mexico’s international relations is a key task, especially at this crucial moment, when one six-year term is about to end and another will begin shortly, emphasized Derzu Daniel Ramírez Ortiz, Director of the Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations at UPAEP, stressing the importance of universities assuming the responsibility of evaluating government performance in the area of foreign policy.
Ramírez Ortiz said: “It is the responsibility and function of universities to evaluate government performance, to identify whether public policies in the international arena help to solve the challenges of our society and whether they promote development and the national interest.”
From an academic perspective, it is essential to consider whether Mexico has been able to take advantage of the international context to improve the conditions of its society. In this sense, Derzu Ramírez invited us to reflect on the foreign policies applied in the last six years, with special attention to how these have impacted internally.
One of the themes underlying this reflection is the role that Mexico has played in key international scenarios, such as its participation in multilateral organizations, trade agreements, and its relationship with global powers. Likewise, the analysis also covers the country’s ability to respond to global crises, from the pandemic to current geopolitical tensions.
“It is essential that we evaluate the main challenges we face as a country and understand to what extent our foreign policies have been effective in mitigating them,” said Ramírez Ortiz, also emphasizing the crucial role that universities play in providing critical and constructive analysis to improve Mexico’s foreign policy.
Derzu Ramírez also highlighted the lack of a strategic vision in the current government’s foreign policy, which has prevented an adequate response to international challenges.
Among the most relevant challenges facing the country is the phenomenon of nearshoring, or the relocation of companies. Mexico, with its enviable geographical position, has a unique opportunity to attract foreign investment, but will compete directly with countries like the United States. In addition, the possible re-election of Donald Trump as president of the United States introduces uncertainty, since his hostile policy towards Mexico, on issues such as migration and security, could intensify.
Another critical issue is the review of the Treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada (T-MEC), where the United States is likely to insist on aspects such as legal certainty for investors, especially in the current context of judicial reform in Mexico.
“Important challenges are coming,” Ramírez Ortiz emphasized, mentioning the need for international collaboration to address problems such as climate change, the management of migratory flows and transnational threats. These challenges require stable political relations, something that has been a weak point during the six-year term that is ending.
He made it clear that Mexico needs a solid and well-structured foreign policy, capable of facing the challenges that lie ahead. “That is where Mexico really needs to have stable political relations, many of which deteriorated throughout this six-year term,” he concluded.
Jorge Puga González, professor of the Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations at UPAEP, pointed out that Mexico lost presence and spaces at the international level. Although there were important achievements, such as prudence in the face of Donald Trump’s arrival to the presidency of the United States and participation in the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), foreign policy was not a priority in this government, operating with limited resources and capabilities.
One of the most positive aspects was the negotiation of the Treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada (T-MEC), where the transition team showed prudence and pragmatism. However, foreign policy was treated with a personalistic approach and oriented towards internal consumption, using international issues to gain political support in the country.
Among the most notable deficiencies, Puga González mentioned the lack of a clear and comprehensive strategy that weakened both bilateral and multilateral relations. Mexico stopped participating in important international forums such as the Davos Forum and the G20, reducing the country’s visibility on the global stage.
Regarding migration, although Mexico acted as a containment country, serving as a “safe third country” to stop migratory flows to the United States, this policy was used as a bargaining chip for other negotiations. In addition, on security issues, such as drug trafficking and arms trafficking, the Bicentennial Understanding was established with the United States, but its implementation has been questioned, which highlights the need to rethink this agreement.
The distancing with Latin America was also evident. Despite attempts at cooperation with Central America, regional leadership was lost, in addition to diplomatic crises with countries such as Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, where Mexico declared ambassadors personae non gratae and in some cases relations deteriorated even further.
Regarding Europe, although the economic relationship remained stable, there was less presence of Mexico in key issues such as climate change and human rights, which generated a distancing with important partners such as Spain and the European Union. In addition, the ratification of the modernized Global Agreement is still pending and a solid mechanism for rapprochement with the United Kingdom after Brexit has not been established.
Finally, in the context of Asia-Pacific, Mexico accepted a clause in the T-MEC that prevents it from signing a free trade agreement with China, limiting its ability to take advantage of that country’s growing economic and technological influence. Likewise, strategic relations with Japan and South Korea were neglected, where a trade agreement has not yet been finalized.
With this context, Jorge Puga considers that this six-year term closed with a negative balance in terms of foreign policy, highlighting that the lack of a clear strategy, the reduction of resources and limited capabilities weakened Mexico’s presence in the international arena. This leaves important challenges for the incoming administration, which will have to rebuild the country’s image and reestablish bilateral and multilateral relations on multiple fronts.
The balance of Mexico’s international relations in the six-year term that is ending has been a complex issue, with lights and shadows, said Herminio Sánchez de la Barquera, professor of the Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations at UPAEP. Among the most notable achievements, Sánchez de la Barquera highlights the continuity of the Free Trade Agreement with the United States, which continues to offer preferential access to Mexican exporters, a key competitive advantage over other countries that lack such an agreement. However, one of the great pending challenges is market diversification, a recurring theme in each six-year term, but which remains unfulfilled. “We have been dealing with the same thing for decades, and we have not undertaken a true strategy to seek new markets and opportunities,” he said.
Sánchez de la Barquera also highlighted Mexico’s constant diplomatic friction with other nations, which hinder the objective of diversification. Tensions with countries such as Spain, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Argentina have complicated foreign relations. He also mentioned that Europe has also been the scene of friction, such as the conflict with Austria over the Moctezuma headdress and with the European Parliament over derogatory comments towards its legislators.
Looking to the future, Herminio Sánchez de la Barquera indicated that Mexico must recompose its foreign policy. Although he acknowledged that foreign policy is not a topic that interests the majority of the population, its impact is significant in key aspects such as security, education and the economy. “We are facing a strong government, but with a weak State that is no longer respected internationally,” he lamented. For the academic, it is vital that the next government works to rebuild relations with countries with which conflicts have been generated and prioritize a foreign policy based on national interests.
Sánchez de la Barquera highlights that the president-elect, Claudia Sheinbaum, has not yet shown clear intentions to rectify the diplomatic course. A clear example is the controversy over the invitation to the King of Spain, a diplomatic failure that according to him, reflects the lack of strategic vision in the bilateral relationship with one of the main investors in Mexico.
The academic concluded that Mexico needs a foreign policy that is based on professionalization, leaving behind practices in which ambassadors and consuls are appointed for political or convenience reasons, demotivating career diplomatic personnel. Restoring Mexico’s image and direction abroad will be one of the great challenges for the new government.
Source: upress
