The democratization process and Mexico human rights foreign policy: an analysis over two decades (1988-2006)

• Grant number: 11/51617-2
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants - Publications - Books published in Brazil
• Start date: December 01, 2011
• End date: November 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Humanities - Political Science - International Politics
• Principal Investigator: Rafael Antonio Duarte Villa
• Grantee: Rafael Antonio Duarte Villa
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Letras e Ciências Humanas (FFLCH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The book analyzes the links between Mexico's human rights foreign policy during Salinas, Zedillo and Fox's governments (1988-2006) and the democratization process that was also occurring in this same period. Its hypothesis is that the impact of the democratization process on Mexican human rights foreign policy has two distinct moments and rationales. In the first place, during Salinas' and Zedillo years, the consolidation of the democratization process created a more favorable political opportunity structure that helped to increase the number of Mexican human rights NGOs; these NGOs joined later a transnational human rights advocacy network and together they pressed the Mexican government during the 1990s. In response, Mexican administrations started to change important features of Mexico's traditional foreign policy to avoid image costs and pressure. Finally, the second moment analyzed in this book comprises the years of Fox's government, when the changes in the human rights foreign policy were not the result of the pressure exercised by the transnational human rights network. They were initiated endogenously in the government, which expected to lock in Mexico's new democratic situation with international commitments and to assure international audiences of the credibility of its commitments to democratic reforms and human rights. (AU)