Today's Other Announcement

In addition to the refinery, we'll learn if Congress approves the Mexican navy's participation in naval exercises with the American navy. Since both the PAN and the PRD (???) are planning to vote in favor, it seems virtually guaranteed to move forward. If the PRI votes against it, I wouldn't be surprised if it tried to turn this into a campaign issue, although I don't think it will have much traction. 

It seems to me that over the past few years, the attempts to play the nationalist card have mostly failed (I guess it sort of worked in limiting energy reform, although not in blocking it). I don't know if you chalk it up to younger Mexicans being more internationalist in their outlook, or Nafta and other FTAs bringing greater comfort with the outside world, or immigration, or all three at the same time, but the traditional Mexican nationalist prickliness (see last post) often doesn't live up to its advance billing. I'd be interested to see a more detailed analysis that assessed a) whether this is a real trend or if I'm imagining it, and b) assuming it's real, what are the factors behind it.