Ask A Mexican 6/25/08

Monday, June 30, 2008

By Gustavo Arellano

Dear Mexican: What do you think would happen if U.S. citizens could as easily buy land and set up businesses in Mexico as Mexicans can do in the U.S.? Might that be a big boost to the Mexican economy? I know there are provisions in the Mexican Constitution that prevent this, but what is the rationale?
Love Mexico

Dear Gabacho: One of the largest sections in the Mexican Constitution (yes, gabachos: Mexicans have one) is Article 27, which deals with land—who can own, what can said owner do with it, and 18 other provisions. Provision I states, “only Mexicans by birth or naturalization and Mexican companies have the right to acquire ownership of lands, waters, and their appurtenances.” Foreign-born folks can buy property “provided they agree before the Ministry of Foreign Relations to consider themselves as nationals in respect to such property, and bind themselves not to invoke the protection of their governments in matters relating thereto” but can’t, under any circumstance, purchase lands “within a zone of one hundred kilometers along the frontiers and of fifty kilometers along the shores of the country.”

The motivation behind such restrictions is the same that makes Know Nothings want to erect a fence between the United States and Mexico: national sovereignty. In Mexico’s case, special circumstances inspire the undue xenophobia. Previous friendliness toward visiting foreigners led to the downfall of Tenochtitlán, inspired Texans to secede, provoked the Mexican-American War, and sparked the Mexican Revolution. I’m not excusing such isolationism at all but hopefully you and your fellow gabacho invaders now have a better understanding of why Mexicans freak whenever ustedes ask for a little bit more, whether chips for your meal or half of our territory.
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Ask A Mexican 6/25/08 | Planet JH News Article: General News

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