1. Mexico
Period 2: Richard Camarena, Eugene Chun, Cecilia Dagdagan, Joshua Rodriguez, Yuri Seo

2. The Executive
Presidency, The Bureaucracy, and The Parastatal Sector

3. The Executive Presidency The Bureaucracy The Parastatal Sector
The presidency is the central institution of governance and policy making
- The president tends to have impressive educational credentials and be trained in economics and management.
Almost 1.5 million people work in the federal bureaucracy.
- Additional 1 million people work in state-owned industries and semi-autonomous agencies of the government.
The president has the power to:
- Initiate legislation and lead in foreign policy, create government agencies, make policies of decree through administrative regulations and procedures.
Lower levels of the bureaucracy:
- Officials are unionized and are protected by legislation that provides them with job security and a range of benefits.
The president is limited by constitutional norms to social justice and sovereignty in international affairs.
- Has informal powers to exert considerable control, however.
Middle and upper levels of the bureaucracy:
- “Confidence employees”: serve as long as their bosses have confidence in them.
- Can have significant power over public affairs.
Composed of semiautonomous and autonomous agencies.
- Semiautonomous: operates with partial government supervision
- Autonomous: operates without government supervision
Was large and powerful prior to the economic policy reforms of the 1990s.
- The reforms included efforts to privatize many enterprises, including the telephone industry, national banks, and airlines.
Some core components still remain in government hands because:
- Of influential nationalist political actors that insist on the symbolic importance of public ownership of key industries.

4. The Legislative
Senate, The Chamber of Deputies, and Legislation

5. The Legislative The Senate The Chamber of Deputies Legislation
There are 128 members of the Senate.
- 3 for each of Mexico’s state.
- 2 for the Federal District of Mexico City.
There are 500 members based on population, including the 200 elected based off of proportional representation.
- No party can have more than 300 seats in the Chamber (lower house).
Senators serve 6-year terms.
- They are not allowed to run for re-election in a consecutive term.
- PRI has the majority of senators.
Each deputy serves a 3-year term.
- Are not allowed to run for re-election in a consecutive term.
- Starting from 2018, they will be able to run for re-election.
The powers of the Senate:
- Addresses all matters concerning foreign policy, approves international agreements, and can confirm presidential appointments.
Powers of the Chamber of Deputies:
- Addresses all matters pertaining to the government’s budget and public expenditures.
- Can prosecute in cases of impeachment.
The executive branch accounts for 90% of all legislation.
- Congress only handles 10% of the legislation.
- Congress has no true power over the independent executive branch.
Congress focuses more on state issues to gain regional power and respect among the people of Mexico.
- Because there is a lack of formal national power.
Both chambers share certain powers:
- Include establishing committees for discussions.
- If there is disagreement between chambers, joint committee is appointed to draft a compromise.

6. The Military
Senate, The Chamber of Deputies, and Legislation

7. The Military Mexico’s Military
The military is successfully marginalized from centers of political power.
Calles and Cardenas:
- Laid the groundwork for civilian rule by introducing rotating military commands by introducing rotating regional military commands.
- This prevents generals from building geographic bases of power.
People grow concerned that the institution is becoming politicized when the military becomes involved.
The PAN made it possible for citizens to gain access to government information.
- Exposed scandals involving the military and political repression.

8. The Judiciary
And Federal System

9. The Judiciary and Federal System
The law derives from the Roman and Napoleonic traditions and is highly formalized.
Citizens may ask for a writ of protection (amparo), claiming that their constitutional rights have been violated by specific government actions or laws.
Supreme Court justices are nominated by the president and approved by the Senate,
Mexico’s types of courts:
- The three main ones are Supreme Court (decides on important cases), circuit courts (take cases on appeal), and district courts (where cases enter the system.
- Other specialized courts include labor courts, military courts, and electoral courts.

10. Mexico in Pictures
Mexican Government

11. The dominance of the PRI
Mexico in Pictures
The dominance of the PRI

12. The distribution of seats in the Chamber of Deputies
Mexico in Pictures
The distribution of seats in the Chamber of Deputies

13. Mexico
How Corrupt is Mexico?

14. Mexico
How Corrupt is Mexico?

15. Mexico
How Corrupt is Mexico?

16. Thank You For Watching

17. Ready for Kahoots?