Newswise — Gustavo Flores-Macias, professor of government at Cornell University, former director of public affairs in Mexico’s Consumer Protection Agency, and author of the forthcoming book “After Neoliberalism? The Left and Economic Reforms in Latin America,” comments on Enrique Pena Nieto’s projected presidential victory in Mexico.
NOTE: Flores-Macias is available to be interviewed in English and Spanish.
He says: “The Pena Nieto victory likely means continuity in most areas of the Calderon Administration – the tough rhetoric against drug cartels and collaboration with the U.S. However, the question of whether the military should remain on the streets is very controversial and that could be an area of change if Pena Nieto is looking for ways to bring down the levels of violence in certain parts of the country.
“One of the main challenges for the next administration is to generate the conditions for true competition in the economy. The telecommunications industry, for instance, is concentrated in a handful of players, with two main TV networks and one main telephone service provider. There is a lot of potential for growth, but growth will be constrained unless opportunities for competition are created, which will benefit consumers and improve the country’s competitiveness and ability to attract investment.
“Another important challenge is improving the education system. Mexico consistently fares poorly in evaluations on math and verbal skills. A major roadblock is the grip that the teacher’s union has on public schools.”
For interviews contact:Syl Kacapyr[email protected]Office: (607) 255-7701
Contact Syl Kacapyr for questions about Cornell's TV and radio studios.
-30-
RSS