Really, not so random, given yesterday's news. Anyway...in the spring flu outbreak, Mexican authorities were generally given credit for keeping Mexicans calm, recognizing the possibility of a pandemic relatively quickly, and keeping the lid on an explosive situation. There was quite a bit of criticism of Mexico's public health institutions, but the relevant leaders performed admirably under very difficult circumstances. This is something of a microcosm of Mexico's government; lots of individual capability (in the best of cases), backed up by sorely lacking institutions. Similarly, Mexico's government can be pretty good at reacting, not as good at pro-acting.
Unlike in the spring, the upcoming outbreak was inevitable, and officials had ample time to prepare for it. It'll be interesting to see how far Mexico has come in the interim to build its public-health institutions and to prepare for contingencies. Will there be enough hospital beds, affordable flu tests, and, of course, vaccines? If the Guatemala-Chiapas border turns into a crucial hotspot, will Mexico be able to shift resources south and coordinate with its southern neighbor? This is a very different test for Mexican leaders than the outbreak in May, but just as important.
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Patrick. I think you encapsulate a key aspect of Mexico in a nutshell when you write:
"This is something of a microcosm of Mexico's government; lots of individual capability (in the best of cases), backed up by sorely lacking institutions"
That is what is interesting about Mexico. The systems and institutions generally are terrible and are saved by the actions of individuals. I guess that might be true in the west too but in a less extreme way
Yeah I think there's a lot of that in the States, the contrast is just starker here in Mexico. Not only in government, but also in education...
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