Mexico Today
Modern Mexico is a country of contradictions: the 15th-largest economy in the world and at the same time a country with enormous inequality. Some milestones:
- 2000: First democratic transition of power — the PRI loses the presidency to Vicente Fox (PAN) after 71 years.
- 2006–2012: President Calderón declares the "war on drugs". The result: over 350,000 deaths and 100,000 disappeared to date. Cartel violence mainly affects the north (Tamaulipas, Sinaloa, Michoacán) and less the tourist regions.
- 2018: Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) wins with 53% — the largest electoral victory since the Revolution. Left-populist course: social programs, megaprojects (Tren Maya, Dos Bocas refinery), militarization of public security.
- 2024: Claudia Sheinbaum becomes Mexico's first female president — physicist, former mayor of CDMX, continuation of the AMLO course.
For travelers, it is important to understand: Mexico is not a failed state. The tourist infrastructure is excellent, the people warm-hearted, and the culture vibrant. The security problems are concentrated in certain regions and rarely affect tourists — but caution is advised (→ Practical Info).
