Presentation "The role of Central America in the Mexican Foreign Policy" by Dr. Jose Luis Leon-Manriquez
The Embassy of Mexico in Belize will host a lecture (in English) on "The role of Central America in Mexican Foreign Policy" by Dr. José Luis León-Manríquez on Monday, February 26 at 6.00 p.m. at the George Price Centre for Peace and Development.
Dr. León-Manríquez has a PhD in Political Science for Columbia University of NYC and is Professor in the Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana (UAM) in Mexico City. Currently he is working at the Department of Pacific Studies of the Universidad de Guadalajara as Visiting Professor. He is a former diplomat and worked as Director of the Academic and Outreach Activities at the Mexican Diplomatic Academy. He has published several articles, essays and books on international affairs in both Spanish and English, being an expert on Asian issues and Central American affairs.
His presentation “The Role of Central America in Mexico´s Foreign Policy. Recent Evolution and Perspectives” will address the following:
As any foreign policy, Mexican diplomacy should not be understood as an outcome of the will of the different Presidents and Ministers of Foreign Affairs. Aside taking into account this factor, it is necessary to study a set of variables that should shed light on explaining policy changes over time.
Mexican foreign policy towards its neighbouring region should be understood as the interaction of four variables: 1) The nature of the international system, specifically the interaction among world and regional powers; 2) The situation of Central America; 3) The economic and political situation in Mexico; and 4) The intra-bureaucratic arrangements within different agencies of the Mexican government.
From this viewpoint, since World War II Mexican Foreign policy in Central America has undergone a gradual change. From a mostly juridical approach in the 1950s and 1970s, Mexican diplomacy shifted to security issues in the late 1970´s and the 1980´s. After the processes of pacification in Central America during the 1990´s, Mexican policy has stressed economic affairs and cooperation.
The lecture argues that this trend is likely to continue in the next years. If so, Belize could play a very important role as a bridge between Central America and the Caribbean in the scheme of Mexican diplomacy.
You are cordially invited to this lecture of relevant importance to the Belizean regional and international affairs.
