Mexico Institute in the News: Like U.S., Mexico faces contentious presidential election

Scripps News, January 25, 2012; Independent Mail, the Prospector, January 26, 2012; La Prensa San Diego, January 27, 2012; El Paso, Inc, January 30, 2012

 Professor Roderic Ai Camp, who specializes in the Pacific rim at the Claremont McKenna College in California, said recently that two issues are likely to be important to Mexico's voters: increasing family income and reducing violence. He spoke at a Jan. 20 forum sponsored by the Woodrow Wilson Center for Scholars Mexico Institute and the Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress. 

"It will be interesting to see what PRI is really proposing that will be different from PAN on two major issues... One is how do you increase personal income, and how do you reduce violence, therefore increase personal security."

 Religion may be a third issue, Camp said. The Catholic Church has played a major role in politics, coming under fire at times when it has spoken out against officials and pushed democracy in the last 15 years. 

"They were critical in urging ordinary Mexicans to vote, both in 1994 and in 2000... The church plays two roles. It has always been a critic of neo-liberalism... There is an agreement on human rights. They would stand up for human rights, and they actually practiced this in the '90s. ... What is interesting to me is they haven't been outspoken as they have been. Only a few selective bishops have made very clear statements."

Read full article here.  Also found at Independent Mail.  A similar article can be found at the Prospector, La Prensa San Diego, and El Paso, Inc.