MEXICO CITY ― Less than two years into Enrique Pena Nieto’s presidency, Mexico is implementing an ambitious structural-reform package designed to lift its economy out of a multi-decade low-growth trap and create new opportunities for its citizens. The reforms involve restructuring economic sectors once deemed politically untouchable, and are backed by constitutional amendments and a bold legislative agenda.

Indeed, thanks to the “Pact for Mexico,” much of this agenda has the support not only of Pena Nieto’s government, but also of the two main opposition parties. This unique arrangement soon will be tested as the reforms begin to bite, and the outcome could have important and lasting consequences for efforts to implement structural reforms elsewhere around the world.

Such reforms are never easy to initiate and are usually difficult to complete. Politicians advocate them when they are in opposition, but rarely embrace and sustain them when in government. The reason is simple: front-loaded costs and back-loaded benefits make structural reforms politically perilous.

Governments that do embark on structural reform often find it frustrating to wait for that often-elusive “critical mass” of revitalized sectors to materialize; and economists find it very difficult to predict the timing and magnitude of the growth liftoff that should follow. Complicating matters further, the inevitability of unanticipated developments, whether homegrown or external in origin, means that course corrections often are needed.

As a result, there are only a few good historical examples ― including China, Poland, and South Korea ― of successful structural reforms. And many dismiss countries that succeed as “special” or “unique” ― and thus of little value as a model for other countries to emulate.

Against this background, it is fascinating to observe what is happening in Mexico. The “why,” “how,” and “what” of the country’s ambitious structural-reform efforts could ― and should ― have important signaling effects around the world.

Mexican officials are the first to point out their country’s relatively poor economic performance over the last 33 years. Average annual growth, at only 2.4 percent, is well below what is needed and possible for a country with such enormous human and natural endowments, a prime location on the United States’ doorstep, and considerable catch-up potential. Moreover, Mexico’s growth record is far inferior to that of some other countries that started with a lot less and yet leap-frogged it (and other Latin American economies).

Policymakers could easily dodge responsibility for Mexico’s middling performance by hiding behind the various emerging-market crises, Latin America’s “lost decade,” and the impact of the 2008 global financial crisis and the subsequent Great Recession. But Mexico’s officials are not looking for excuses. Instead, they point to domestic indicators showing poor productivity and competitiveness, both over time and relative to other countries. They also note that Mexico’s impressive accomplishments in terms of macroeconomic stabilization, while necessary, have not proved sufficient to unleash the country’s growth potential.

Yes, Mexico has built strong domestic and foreign financial buffers, put its fiscal house in order, opened up its economy to the outside world, and concluded many free-trade arrangements, led by the North American Free Trade Agreement. But now the time has come to build on this progress by simultaneously reforming five large and influential sectors: education, energy, finance, telecommunications, and the labor market. And Pea Nieto’s government has worked hard ― and successfully ― in recent months to adopt the necessary constitutional amendments and enact initial legislation.

At least three of these areas ― education, energy, and the labor market ― were long deemed untouchable or nearly so. Indeed, I remember my own experience in Mexico in the late 1980s and early 1990s, when I was part of the International Monetary Fund’s team working with officials there to assist with the country’s recovery from the Latin American debt crisis. Any mention of energy reforms was met with immediate resistance, including references to national sovereignty and constitutional protections.

Today, Mexico is seeking long-term foreign investors to support ambitious and comprehensive reform efforts, with foreign participation particularly important for infrastructure investments in telecom networks, toll roads, gas pipelines, and, down the road, the oil sector.

All of this is anchored by a clear political mandate, as well as by Pea Nieto’s stated personal commitment to overcome three decades of inadequate growth and productivity deficits. Given the possibility of a domestic political backlash, the inherent complexities of implementing a multi-dimensional reform package, and the cyclical headwinds implied by still-sluggish growth in the U.S. (which accounts for roughly 80 percent of exports), Mexico may need both anchors if it is to sustain reform momentum. Fortunately, the government has room for countercyclical policy, and has already responded with more accommodating fiscal and monetary policies.

Mexico has a good chance to realize its impressive structural-reform agenda. Doing so would give the rest of the world an important example of how such programs can be designed and implemented for the long term, thereby enabling a critical mass of strong sectors ― and thus faster growth and greater prosperity ― to be achieved and citizens’ legitimate aspirations to be met.

Mohamed A. El-Erian is chief economic adviser at Allianz and a member of its International Executive Committee. He is chairman of President Barack Obama’s Global Development Council and the author, most recently, of “When Markets Collide.” ― Ed.

[readon1 url="http://nwww.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20140622000380"]Source:nwww.koreaherald.com[/readon1]

Dear President Nieto,

We as a publisher, represent the voices of hundreds of thousands of English speaking residents and visitors to the Banderas Bay Region.  Not to mention 20 million visitors a year that reside in and visit Mexico.

Observers reserve judgment on political and economic reforms approved by new president Enrique Peña Nieto

Mexico begins the new year bathed in predictions that its "moment" has finally arrived thanks, primarily, to a frenzy of reforms since President Enrique Peña Nieto took office in December 2012.

But beneath the glow, question marks hang over the country because of its longstanding security crisis, rampant poverty, inequality – and even the reforms themselves.

"If things go well, Peña Nieto could go down in history as one of the great reformers of the past 100 years," says political analyst Raymundo Riva Palacio. "If it does not, the failure will be monumental."

The reforms include education, telecommunications and tax overhauls, crowned by last December's audacious constitutional changes that open the way for more private sector participation in the crisis-ridden state-owned energy sector.

For Pierpaolo Barbieri and Niall Ferguson, writing in the Wall Street Journal, the reforms put Mexico on the threshold of transforming itself "from Latin America's laggard into North America's new engine of growth".

Mexican economists tend to be less upbeat. "The reforms should give the 'Mexican moment' some momentum," says Carlos Elizondo, a staunch supporter of the free market vision that inspired the changes. "Now the government has to deliver."

It already seems clear investors are holding back until they see what kind of secondary legislation is put in place to make the reforms operable, while left-leaning observers are particularly concerned about the capacity of national regulators to have any control over multinational companies, particularly in energy.

Economist Rogelio Ramírez de la O takes his criticism deeper. "The reforms are not enough," he says, pointing to the absence of a complementary drive to dynamise the domestic economyand allow Mexico to become less dependent on exporting to US consumers. "They do not validate talk of a moment."

Almost everybody, meanwhile, stresses the potential impact on investor confidence of drug war-related violence and regional governability crises that have continued unabated since Peña Nieto took office, though they receive less media attention.

The national official death toll has fallen slightly, but even the government admits that kidnapping rates have risen dramatically. Some regions also hover on the verge of civil war as new armed vigilante groups challenge the influence of the cartels and the security forces seem at a loss about what to do.

Even the best-case scenarios predict that the majority of Mexicans will see no direct benefits, such as lower energy bills, from the reforms for at least 18 months. It will take years more for even substantially higher GDP growth than the paltry 1.3% managed in 2013 to make any dent in the poverty that affects about half the population.

The current disarray of Mexico's political left also leaves fewer institutional channels for neutralising growing signs of radical discontent in a country with world-record inequality rates where conspicuous corruption remains common.

In his new year message Peña Nieto urged Mexicans to think of 2013 as "the year Mexico dared to take off". A look at the projected flight path suggests he should prepare for turbulence.

[readon1 url="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jan/09/mexico-moment-reforms-enrique-pena-nieto"]Source:www.theguardian.com[/readon1]

May 1st Parade in Puerto Vallarta is suspended for purely economic issues, as Reported by Rafael Yerena Zambrano, General secretary of the Federation of Jalisco (FTJ), who Noted that this determination is Analyzed for Municipalities THROUGHOUT the state.

He explained that in the metropolitan area of ​​Guadalajara the only event will be held with the Governor of Jalisco, Aristotle Sandoval and Puerto Vallarta traditional official act "will then breakfast with the union leaders, headed by the secretary of organization CTM, Salvador Alcaraz Rolón.

Regarding the reasons why the traditional parade Labor Day is suspended, said the reason is that "there were extraordinary expenses, many of them to mobilize troops to the Board of the National CTM to Guadalajara on 28 and 29 March. This is why we decided to cancel it. "

As to what this might mean for workers who take advantage of this moment to express disagreements, the CTM leader added that the manifestation that represents this parade, it should seek to solving challenges for workers.

"And that's the job we have to do union leaders, look what condition will resolve the issue to the people."

In this context, it recognized that the tradition has been that the disagreements in these marches of manifest workers, however insisted that this is not the reason but is suspended for economic reasons.

With regard to the statement by a public transport operator Union Permittees in the sense that despite the circular received from the suspension of the parade, they did attend to march, Zambrano Yerena stressed that this situation known and CTM not endorse any march, procession or demonstration.

"The Federation does not endorse any statement at this time anyone is nervous, but is free to anyone who wants to make a parade, but I do not know to wish parade to go and those who participate."

At the same time, he said, as always in his speech, the Secretary General of the FTJ, the current conditions of the working class are not enough to celebrate, "we do not celebrate anything, commemorating the struggle that has occurred and is gave the working class at the time. "

So that questioned who would participate in the parade on May 1 whenever reiterated that to manifest a disagreement does not have to be on this particular date and on the contrary, you may do at any time.

Who has said that this parade will take place "has no idea what is commemorated on May 1st and if they take it as the day that can be expressed, are wrong, because thanks to the laws in Mexico there is freedom of expression at any time.

Students stated that they did not belong to any political party

Pupils in 40 primary filled the Legislature with their proposals requests and concerns

Children of 40 prominent primary led to the Legislature its proposal their requests and concerns.

This for Wednesday in the framework of the month of April when we commemorate the day of the child 39 children sat in the seats and made the times of local legislators one more sat down on the space intended for the Secretary General.

Benjamin Antonio García Carmona was appointed as General Secretary of the Congress. The children are students of primary and led to the Legislature its concerns in the rostrum.

The issues  that the children discussed were,insecurity, bullying and harassment minors called on the authorities to ensure the tranquillity of the children so that they may develop.

The students stated that they did not belong to any political party and said that they would be interested in the events that occur in the Legislature.

[readon1 url="http://www.informador.com.mx/jalisco/2014/522387/6/son-ninos-legisladores-de-jalisco-por-un-dia.htm"]Source:www.informador.com.mx [/readon1]

Members of the group said that after more than seven years, and a mayor's visit shows his support for this sector

The members of the Livestock Association Puerto Vallarta, thanked the support and commitment of the mayor, Ramón Guerrero Martinez, who through its President Mr. Armando Villasenor is the first mayor acknowledged that after more than 7 years this partnership visit endorse the support of his government to this sector.

This during the laying of the foundation stone of its new facility in the community of El Colorado, where pens were constructed for all breeders municipality can focus their cattle on them and avoid the middlemen in the sale.

It was during the meeting of the Association held last weekend, where in addition to implementing this project, the mayor delivered on behalf of the City, a stud bull log about two years old, which was drawn between members of the group and will be of benefit to the breeding of this species.

In addition to the mayor, emphasized that his government will continue to support the activities of this sector that contributes significantly to the economic development of the municipality, so you always have the support of this administration that works hard for you in Puerto Vallarta has social justice for everyone.

At this meeting were present the engineer Andrés Cano Ramos, President of the Regional Livestock Union of Jalisco, which brings together 33 associations statewide and delegate to the National Confederation of Livestock Organizations; Armando Villasenor, Rafael Rodriguez and Moises Herrera Perez Arreola, President, Secretary and Treasurer of the Association of Puerto Vallarta Livestock respectively.

Also joining the Mayor aldermen Oscar Avalos Bernal, Guadalupe Anaya Hernández, Javier Pelayo Méndez, Candelaria Villanueva and Sánchez Espinoza Barragán Othniel, Directors of Social Development, Arturo Davalos Peña, Citizen Participation, Diego Jimenez and Franco Public Services, Guillermo Salcedo.

He said that new projects will come this year thanks to the resources that were given to this area by the Grant Security Municipalities (SUBSEMUN)

In order to strengthen the work done in the field of crime prevention, Mauro Rigoberto Rubio Pérez was appointed new head of this important area and will have the task of fully work with the company to generate a culture of prevention and denunciation .

In a ceremony held at the premises of the Regional Police Academy, the deputy director Rigoberto Espinoza operating Valadez was asked to take the oath to the new owner of the area of ​​crime prevention and urged him to continue working together to substantially improve the work that has been done.

Meanwhile Pérez Rubio noted that one of the challenges is to reach more people through various crime prevention programs and promote it with enthusiasm and dynamism to be reflected with very good results.

"We will reorganize for coverage in schools, neighborhoods and civic associations is greater, seeking to instill a culture of reporting and prevention, in addition to work in coordination with the DIF system, the Women's Institute, the Institute of Youth because it is to do with citizenship and team form a single force, "he said.

He said that will come new projects for this year thanks to the resources that were given to this area by the Grant Security Municipalities (SUBSEMUN), thereby creating the unity of care for people with interfamily problems is contemplated, among other programs.

During the first meeting with his team, urged officials to continue with this conviction and commitment as before and recognized the work done by Leandro Garcia Larios, who recently stepped down to return to the operational area of ​​the Police Station Preventive Police and Highways.

Notably Mauro Rigoberto Rubio Perez 26 years old, has a degree in Law and has a diploma in Legal Psychology, joining the ranks of the Division of Highways in 2010, six months after he was called to enter the area of ​​prevention crime where served as officer in charge of road courses in schools and soon after obtained his certification as an officer in various branches, through training that provides them constantly.

As for the area of ​​crime prevention has 23 elements in their most professionals, plus eighty percent are certified to teach the DARE program, Learning to Cuidarte, Liaison, among others, and the remaining twenty percent are in the certification process.

This year a total of 13 million 750 thousand pesos apply on public safety

Having established the proper application of resources tagged during 2013 to Puerto Vallarta, through Grant Security Municipalities (SUBSEMUN), the municipal government headed by Ramón Guerrero Martínez, achieved an increase of ten percent for the 2014 .

It was during the National Meeting of Grant Safety Municipalities (SUBSEMUN) held in Mexico City on 30 January, where the municipality of Puerto Vallarta found the correct application of the ten million pesos that were tagged during the 2013, to demonstrate the application of each weight, so in return the federal government gave 11 million for this 2014, one million more than in previous years.

These 11 million labeled by the federation, 2 million 750 thousand pesos to bring the town to join this program, which will make a total of 13 million 750 thousand pesos to be exercised in the field of public safety.

Resources were distributed in five major categories, the first one in which the investment of 70 percent is expected in the construction of a command of new police, a hand will go to the custody and administration of the county jail, in which there will be 20 specialist officers in this important area.

Another products, is the social crime prevention through citizen participation in the creation of the special unit referred to Assist Victims of family problems and Gender. Cultural and sports project for social prevention of violence and crime, a draft Safe Mobility within which created the Police Women Vial with hiring 40 women will develop further the recovery of public spaces and the creation of a nursery Community.

Also a resource for professionalization and training of uniformed in which they provide refresher courses, specialization, diagnostic evaluation, performance evaluation, internal and external dissemination went, plus it will have a budget for the approval of salaries According to the hierarchical ladder.

Documents showing the destination of this fund, held by the City Comptroller who is who is in charge of verification, management and accurate allocation of resources.

Actions such as these, confirm that the local government meets the commitments it made to society Vallarta municipality improve security and strengthen the working conditions of those who make up one of the most important agencies, such as the police station of Preventive Police and Roads .

Before 12 governors, two state representatives, the national president of the PRI, César Camacho, from the state, Hugo Contreras, from the PAN, Miguel Ángel Monráz, the president of the Supreme Court of Justice, Luis Carlos Vega Pámanes, mayors, local and federal deputies, as well as senators, the governor, Aristóteles Sandoval, rendered, this Tuesday February fourth, his first report of results, in which he pointed out progress in austerity, health, education and social programs, among others:

"... We implemented ten measures of austerity, and these are generating a savings of around 100 million pesos; we changed the luxury cars, cell phones, travel expenses, trips abroad, gasoline, to direct them to support more than a million and a half children..."

This review, which is part of a great collection of five volumes delivered to the Administrative Office of the Congress, last Saturday, included in an unprecedented way, a citizen gloss, which after exposing positive products, received comments from 100 participants.

In this he gave relevance to the challenge of lowering the common expenses, and mark differences such as the re engineering of the ministries, which allowed to save 191 million pesos this year and he added:

“..I am not here to look after my position, nor my popularity, I am here to take care of the State and to drive its transformation and to carry out the decisions that the people demand for a real change ..."

During this same gloss, and when questioning about the ruling for the increase to public transportation, both the state ruler as well as the head of Mobility, Mauricio Gudiño, avoided the subject, before diverse groups, mainly the one of Ecology of Jalisco, which has made several observations about the awful service that it still delivers, while the deaths under its wheels continues rising.

[readon1 url="http://www.prensaglobal.com/notas/63674.html"]Source: Prensaglobal.com Translated by Rene Tripp[/readon1]

The mayor, Ramón Guerrero Martínez, participated in the inauguration of the XXII Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF), where he accompanied the secretary of Economy, Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal, who attended in representation of the federal government, as well as the president of the senate of the Republic, Raúl Cervantes Andrade, who also presides the APPF; Takuji Yanagimoto, honorary president of the organism and the governor of the state Aristóteles Sandoval Díaz.

This international meeting, where more than 25 countries attend, was officially inaugurated by the secretary of Economy, Ildefonso Guajardo Villarreal, who welcomed the ambassadors of this Parliamentary Froum and pointed out that these types of spaces allow to exploit the means to liberate and facilitate commerce and investment, at the same time that they provide a guide for good practices with the Asia-Pacific economies, as well as the strengthening of the international strategies of cooperation.

It is noteworthy that the APPF will conclude on the next Thursday January 16th, and during those days they will address issues on politics and security, economic and commercial, the Asia-Pacific Regional Cooperation and the beginning of the works for the 23rd Annual Forum Meeting.

[readon1 url="http://notivallarta.com/2014/01/14/participa-ramon-guerrero-en-inauguracion-de-foro-parlamentario-asia-pacifico/"]Source: NotiVallarta Translated by Rene Tripp[/readon1]

On January 1st the Law of Free Unions will go into force in Jalisco, which allows to formalize before the public notary the bond between two people of the same sex, but also the relations of non conventional families that live under the same roof.

However, two constitutional appeals are still being examined against this legal framework before the Supreme Court of Justice of the Nation (SCJN), one presented by the Attorney General of the Republic (PGR), but not to revoke the legislation, but to modify it and allow adoptions.

The demand presented on December 2nd was admitted by the minister Olga Sánchez Cordero for its study. For their part, the local deputies of the National Action Party (PAN) are trying to invalidate the complete law, alleging juridical inconsistencies.

In an interview, Enrique Velázquez, deputy of the PRD promoter of the Law of Free Unions, affirmed that these appeals will not affect that the legislation will go into force on January 1st of 2014, as the only transitory law stipulates.

We have already spoken with the president of the School of Notaries, it is logical that doubts persist for being about a formality that is not common; but there is openess from many federals”, he stated.

The free unions will be celebrated in front of the public notary, without more requirements than a birth certificate of each of the parts, official identification, and if its the case, record of divorce or of death of the spouse.

The fees of the notary for this agreement are around 900 pesos, although in the law they are calculated by number of minimum wages. Once this free union is formalized, a copy for the archive of public instruments of the State will need to be submitted.

In accordance to the law of only 25 articles, the free union is only about an agreement, not about a civil state and it can only be signed by adults. Those who are currently married or have another free union will not be able to join in another union.

Furthermore, the free union generates the reciprocal duty to provide food and the parts have the right to reciprocally inherit by legitimate succession and can legitimately demand benefits that under the modalities of pensions, social provisions or other analogous rights are contemplated by the law.

The adoption of children is not allowed in the Free Unions and to conclude this figure, a judicial intervention is not required and can be done in a unilateral way.

[readon1 url="http://www.lajornadajalisco.com.mx/2013/12/30/ley-de-libre-convivencia-entrara-en-vigor-con-dos-controversias-constitucionales-pendientes/"]Source: La Jornada Jalisco Translated by Rene Tripp[/readon1]

With the participation of the director of Municipal Tourism, Carlos Gerard Guzmán, in representation of the mayor Ramón Guerrero Martínez, of the airport administrator of this city, Francisco Villaseñor Reyes, as well as of civil and military authorities, and students of different schools, the commemoration of the International Day of the Civil Aviation was carried out, which was celebrated this December 7th.

In his message Carlos Gerard, recognized the importance that the civil aviation has for Puerto Vallarta, for without this activity, he said, “millions of people from all around the world would not have been able to know the reason our city is the most Mexican beach destination. Also the aviation of passengers, has moved to Puerto Vallarta in the heart of those who have visited it”.

Likewise he congratulated the great airport community for the persistent work and the long term vision that this sector has, “in some sense the airports are the lower part of a great bridge. In this city this bridge means a lot, it means development, employment and growth”, emphasized the civil servant.

During this celebration, there was a presentation of the folk dance group “Vallarta Azteca” of the Cecytej, furthermore the assistants were able to enjoy a show of parachutes and aerobatics, under the charge of a team of professionals.

[readon1 url="http://notivallarta.com/2013/12/06/celebran-el-dia-internacional-de-la-aviacion-civil-2/"]Source: NotiVallarta Translated by Rene Tripp[/readon1]