Mexico's international image is taking a beating these days, even from two worlds that rarely see eye-to-eye: The Holy See and Hollywood.
President Enrique Pena Nieto was already struggling with falling approval ratings, relentless drug violence and a conflict of interest scandal when Pope Francis and an Oscar winner chimed in this week.
The pope voiced fears to a friend that his homeland, Argentina, was at risk of a "Mexicanization" by drug gangs.
For his part, Mexican film director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu used his victory speech for his movie "Birdman" at the Oscars to plead for a "government that we deserve."
Pena Nieto's administration has endured a steep fall from grace since making global headlines for passing historic reforms, which optimistic saw as the "Mexico Moment."
In recent months, Mexico has faced international outrage and regular protests over the disappearance and alleged slaughter of 43 college students at the hands of a police-backed gang in September.
- 'Unholy trinity' -
Germany's federal commissioner for human rights policy, Christoph Straesser, met with parents of the victims in Guerrero state on Wednesday and said his country suspended arms sales to Mexico because German guns were apparently used in the attack on the students.
Mexico's woes came up during a meeting of PEN International, a global writers group, in Mexico City this week.
"The Mexican sickness, this unholy trinity of corruption, violence and impunity, it spread from Mexico into Central America now," said PEN International president John Ralston Saul.
Pope Francis seemed to voice the same concern in an email to his Argentine friend, Gustavo Vera, who heads a non-governmental organization involved in combating organized crime.
"I hope we (in Argentina) can avoid Mexicanization. I have spoken with Mexican bishops and it is a terrifying reality," Francis wrote in the message, which Vera made public.
The email irked the Mexican government, which said the comments "stigmatized" the country.
The Vatican sought to end the diplomatic tiff, saying the pope had "absolutely no intention of hurting the feelings of the Mexican people" and that he appreciates the governments efforts against drug trafficking.
Eduardo Rosales, a foreign relations expert at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said the Mexico Moment "has come and gone, and we are now facing reality."
For Rosales, "the term 'Colombianization' has been replaced by 'Mexicanization,' even though it hurts us."
In the past, the term Colombianization was used to describe Mexico's risk of descending into the kind of drug cartel violence that plagued Colombia in the 1980s and 1990s. Tens of thousands of people have died in drug-related mayhem in Mexico since 2006.
- Pena Nieto vs Inarritu -
Pena Nieto was not even able to savor the Oscars victory of his countryman, Inarritu. While the president congratulated the director, the film-maker lamented his country's problems.
The day after the Oscars, the president responded to Inarritu's criticism by saying that the government was striving to improve opportunities for Mexicans.
But Inarritu spoke out about his country's troubles once more, insisting that "the level of dissatisfaction, of injustice, of corruption, of impunity have reached intolerable levels."
Before the pope and the Hollywood director's comments, international human rights groups had been complaining about the government's handling of the case of the 43 students.
A United Nations committee on forced disappearances piled on the Mexican authorities, complaining in a report this month that the government has been giving inconsistent statistics about the number of missing people in the country.
Pena Nieto's administration has changed the figure of missing people several times since he took office in December 2012, from 26,000 initially to 8,000, before increasing it again to 16,000 and settling at 22,000 last year.
Mexico’s international image is taking a beating these days, even from two worlds that rarely see eye-to-eye: The Holy See and Hollywood.
President Enrique Pena Nieto was already struggling with falling approval ratings, relentless drug violence and a conflict of interest scandal when Pope Francis and an Oscar winner chimed in this week.
The pope voiced fears to a friend that his homeland, Argentina, was at risk of a “Mexicanization” by drug gangs.
For his part, Mexican film director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu used his victory speech for his movie “Birdman” at the Oscars to plead for a “government that we deserve.”
Pena Nieto’s administration has endured a steep fall from grace since making global headlines for passing historic reforms, which optimistic saw as the “Mexico Moment.”
In recent months, Mexico has faced international outrage and regular protests over the disappearance and alleged slaughter of 43 college students at the hands of a police-backed gang in September.
– ‘Unholy trinity’ –
Germany’s federal commissioner for human rights policy, Christoph Straesser, met with parents of the victims in Guerrero state on Wednesday and said his country suspended arms sales to Mexico because German guns were apparently used in the attack on the students.
Mexico’s woes came up during a meeting of PEN International, a global writers group, in Mexico City this week.
“The Mexican sickness, this unholy trinity of corruption, violence and impunity, it spread from Mexico into Central America now,” said PEN International president John Ralston Saul.
Pope Francis seemed to voice the same concern in an email to his Argentine friend, Gustavo Vera, who heads a non-governmental organization involved in combating organized crime.
“I hope we (in Argentina) can avoid Mexicanization. I have spoken with Mexican bishops and it is a terrifying reality,” Francis wrote in the message, which Vera made public.
The email irked the Mexican government, which said the comments “stigmatized” the country.
The Vatican sought to end the diplomatic tiff, saying the pope had “absolutely no intention of hurting the feelings of the Mexican people” and that he appreciates the governments efforts against drug trafficking.
Eduardo Rosales, a foreign relations expert at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said the Mexico Moment “has come and gone, and we are now facing reality.”
For Rosales, “the term ‘Colombianization’ has been replaced by ‘Mexicanization,’ even though it hurts us.”
In the past, the term Colombianization was used to describe Mexico’s risk of descending into the kind of drug cartel violence that plagued Colombia in the 1980s and 1990s. Tens of thousands of people have died in drug-related mayhem in Mexico since 2006.
– Pena Nieto vs Inarritu –
Pena Nieto was not even able to savor the Oscars victory of his countryman, Inarritu. While the president congratulated the director, the film-maker lamented his country’s problems.
The day after the Oscars, the president responded to Inarritu’s criticism by saying that the government was striving to improve opportunities for Mexicans.
But Inarritu spoke out about his country’s troubles once more, insisting that “the level of dissatisfaction, of injustice, of corruption, of impunity have reached intolerable levels.”
Before the pope and the Hollywood director’s comments, international human rights groups had been complaining about the government’s handling of the case of the 43 students.
A United Nations committee on forced disappearances piled on the Mexican authorities, complaining in a report this month that the government has been giving inconsistent statistics about the number of missing people in the country.
Pena Nieto’s administration has changed the figure of missing people several times since he took office in December 2012, from 26,000 initially to 8,000, before increasing it again to 16,000 and settling at 22,000 last year.
