3 - Mexico

Summary

Mexico’s consular diplomacy and protection are unique. Mexico has a diaspora of close to 40 million people; approximately 9 percent live in the United States and 12 million of them were born in Mexico. Also, more than 50 percent of Mexicans have a relative living abroad, and over 20 percent of Mexican families receive remittances. Therefore, due to the relevance of its diaspora and its close connections with Mexico, consular diplomacy and protection are high priorities within Mexican foreign policy. This chapter analyzes the current scenario of the Mexican diaspora, as well as the Mexican consular and diplomatic work at a global level and its concentration in the United States; it also explains the economic, social, and military activities carried out by the Mexican state through its diplomatic representations. Its main findings are that Mexico’s policy for protecting its nationals abroad is multifaceted and goes well beyond traditional consular protection, entering the realm of bilateral and multilateral political relations, as well as public diplomacy. The main motivation of consular diplomacy and protection is one of support and, to a lesser degree, one of co-optation, since it seeks to include the Mexican population in the United States as part of a Mexican transnational nation.