Socio-Economic Issues in Mexico

Latin America is known to have inequalities in socio-economics. As a result, social and political policies have radically affected different classes in different ways.

In most Latin American countries like Mexico, unvarying systems of socio-economic stages exist.  Mexico, Venezuela, and Paraguay all belong to C2 levels while other parts of Mexico belong to C3, together with Brazil and Puerto Rico.

Level C2

• Living in relaxed ways
• Receiving middle earnings at work
• Works in middle range industries
• Enjoy few of the good things of life
• Able to meet their primary needs
• Live in separated residences or modern buildings in middle-housing areas

Level C3

• Public positions depend on economic condition.
• Able to enjoy some ease but at the price of financial sacrifice
• Able to just meet their primary needs.
• Workers of small business or casual corporations
• Low or middle income
• Big family sizes
• Live in a greatly occupied area
• Live in apartment buildings or small detached houses

Basing on the information presented above, income variation is the main point of this socio-economic inequalities. Why should we be bothered on the inequality of wealth?

See, for example, a market selling luxury goods is limited to those who can meet the expense to compensate; thus, a great number of rich populations will yield higher and maintainable incomes. However, behind the picture, there are also issues concerning moral and social fairness.

If inequality in wealth were exclusively the outcome of personal selections about labor, sweat, and investments, subsequently people will be obtaining what they wish and merit for. Moreover, if wealth inequality is due to either the inheritance of past problems or modern corruption and lack of transparency, this will turn out to be a major social and political headache.

Frequently ignored but related cases that create wealth inequality are corruption and drug trafficking.  This illegal means has become a widespread practice in some countries.

In 1980s and early 1990s, drug traffickers in Mexico have already established an infrastructure preparing to serve the Colombian-based traffickers.  In the mid 1980s, organizations in Mexico were well-established and reliable transporters of Colombian cocaine were made. This has ended with the fighting between rival cartels due to information leaking to the government by the other rivals.  The fight between rival drug cartels began in the late 1980s and the violence steadily worsened in 2000.

An armed disagreement is taking place between the government forces of Mexico and competitor drug cartels, which is popularized as the Mexican Drug War.  Drug cartels are in existence for some time now as this became more powerful when Colombia’s Cali and Medellin cartel’s ended in 1990s.  The Mexican drug cartels dominated the wholesale of illegitimate drug market in the US today.  Drug violence increased when the key leaders were arrested.

The International Narcotics Control Board reported that corruption remains a serious problem in the country no matter what actions, they take to reduce it.  Some Federal Investigation agents are believed to be part of one of the known cartels of which they act as the cartel’s enforcers.  In addition, an estimated count of 1,500 agents was under investigation for suspected criminal activities and 457 faced charges in December 2005.  The anti-cartel act was then operated in December 2006 to ensure that police and government agencies are free from cartel involvement.

In the early part of 2009, Mexico was rapidly falling apart as the drug war escalated with no relief. The country experienced the rising number of violence caused by drugs, kidnapping, assassination, extortion, homicide, and assault.  Five thousand Mexican army troops were called in by President Calderon. The United States also added troops to protect themselves from the violence in Mexico as Latin Americans might go out in the open and spill over the U.S. border.  So far, this year, an average of 6.8 people was murdered each day in Mexico and around 14,000 people were killed since Felipe Calderon started his term in December 2006.

The geographical location of Mexico has long been used as a point for illegal migrants, narcotics, and other smuggled goods intended for the US. They come mainly from South America, Mexico, and some other parts of the neighboring countries.

A Note Ahead when Traveling

Whenever we think of travel, satisfying images pop up in our minds; a walk to the seashores, breathe the cool breeze with the natural beauty of whatever Mother Nature brings to us or simply spends all our money shopping. No doubt that when we say travel, it is one of the best ways to take a break from our grueling days of work and spend a quality time enjoying with our loved ones. However, one important thing we should be aware, of whenever we plan to travel is to choose the best destination we can spend our time on. We choose the right place where we feel not only pleasure but also a place where we sense a security in every moment we spent. Surely, we don’t want to have a memorable vacation ending up in a disaster in any way. Nonetheless, it is best to plan ahead before we set out on a journey what this world of ours can offer.

We have to do as much research as we can ahead of time. This is the ABC’s when traveling to any destination we plan to go. For the more we know about the country and its people before we arrive, the quicker we get under the skin of the place. We don’t want to end up in a situation that when arriving into a foreign land, we suddenly realize that we have no idea on how to catch a taxi, find a restroom or rent a hotel room. By buying a guide book or checking anything in such a manner resourceful enough in helping us to prevent encountering such hassle situations, we can save a lot of time and effort in doing so. We have to review it thoroughly to be knowledgeable enough of the areas we want to explore or tour around.

One common problem we encounter whenever we decide to spend our time in a far away place is the language used of the people living there. In accordance to this, it is important  to know basic phrases of their native language and to take note on how it is spoken properly. Important phrases like; how much, where can I find the place, I need a doctor, I don’t understand and more… also we should keep in mind that we must show respect by saying  “please”  or “thank you” for it is one way of effective communication when both parties show respect to each other.

There are a lot of ways we can somehow manage to carry ourselves away from encountering any kind of troubles like following the rules and regulations of their country, but there are rules and regulations that are not found written just in any book. Those are the culture practices of the people. Somehow, most culture practices are based on the religious beliefs of the people. We might find a place where women are prohibited to go out from their houses or even not allowed to look at them straight into their eyes. It may seem normal to us, but it deeply offends them on the other way around. In addition to this, we should be aware of their dietary, clothing, medical, spiritual practices and so on.

Even though there are a lot of things to be aware of to not only prevent culture shock but also to be safe in any area of the place. Aside from reviewing appropriate books and other helpful information available like internet sources, there is one most effective way to gather enough information. That is to ask the people who once been there. They are the ones who can aptly explain to us in a detailed manner and can even give us more vital tips which most books cannot offer. Unlike books or internet articles, people can give us information in such a way that they would notice if we understand it or not. Furthermore, we can even ask deeper information which most books are not able to provide us. So to say, if we have all this information reviewed, it is most likely that we can say we are well prepared to take such a journey.

There is a saying that “the world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page”. It is absolutely true that there are a lot of things we need to see in this world, but it is also important  that we should be aware of what awaits us.