Author Archives: Jesse Heath

Mexico Missing from Presidential Race

Posted on 02/05/2016

I am a serious political junkie, and become absolutely consumed during every U.S. presidential campaign. I spend way too much time reading coverage of both the Democrat and Republican candidates, watching the debates, etc. In this cycle, I am disappointed … Continue reading →

Posted in corruption, crime, elections, Guerrero, Iguala, money laundering, narco, normalistas, organized crime, rule of law, Uncategorized, US-Mexico Relations | Leave a comment

What to Make of the TPP’s Anticorruption Chapter?

Posted on 11/08/2015

After years of being developed under conditions of absolute secrecy, the text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement was released last week. In the U.S., Congress has 90 days to give an up-or-down vote on the measure, which is … Continue reading →

Posted in compliance, corruption, crime, economy, fdi, tpp, trade | Leave a comment

SFP Leguleyos Defend the Noble Lie that Mexico Doesn’t Believe Anymore

Posted on 08/26/2015

There is a famous scene in Shrek the Third when the evil Prince attempts to exploit Pinocchio’s inability to lie (undetected) in order to learn Shrek’s whereabouts. But when questioned, Pinocchio engages in some verbal gymnastics to avoid both lying and … Continue reading →

Posted in corruption, EPN, narco, Pact for Mexico, PAN, politics, PRI, SFP | Leave a comment

Perfect Storm – Is the Mexican Economy About to Collapse?

Posted on 08/11/2015

Mexico’s underperforming economy has been covered here before. But those posts addressed long-term, structural impediments to Mexico’s ability to develop a modern economy with a higher growth rate. Notably, those posts did not address the most commonly cited ‘structural’ flaws … Continue reading →

Posted in economic development, economy, energy, fdi, finance, informality, investment, labor, narco, oil and gas, organized crime, Pact for Mexico | Leave a comment

Anticorruption Update – As Brazil Gets Serious, Mexico Twists in the Wind

Posted on 07/29/2015

Latin America is a region characterized by incredible diversity – in cultures, histories, and economic and political development. Only through oversimplification can the region be seen to move as a group (e.g., Nicaragua vs. Costa Rica vs. Panama or Brazil vs. Colombia … Continue reading →

Posted in compliance, corruption, crime | Leave a comment

Round 1 Shallow Water Contracts & Nightmare Compliance Provisions

Posted on 01/14/2015

The Secretary of Energy (SENER) and National Hydrocarbons Commission (CNH) released draft contracts and other information related to the Round 1 bidding on shallow water projects. Round 1 Basics Here is a map of the shallow water locations up for bidding: The Round … Continue reading →

Posted in CNH, compliance, corruption, energy, fdi, oil and gas, Pact for Mexico, pemex, procurement, reform, SENER | Leave a comment

As it Turns to 2015, How Can Mexico Put 2014 Behind?

Posted on 01/06/2015

2014 was an unfortunate year for Mexico, despite (initially) glowing praise from international media outlets and a relatively painless process of passing major economic reforms. Ultimately, dark reality triumphed over glittering narrative, and the PR-based presidency of Enrique Peña Nieto (EPN) … Continue reading →

Posted in corruption, crime, economic development, economy, energy, fdi, Iguala, normalistas, oil and gas, organized crime, Pact for Mexico, procurement, reform, rule of law, tender, transparency | Leave a comment