Doubts dog prospects for Mexico corruption crackdown

Subject

The outlook for progress on combating corruption.

Significance

Accusations of corruption hound President Enrique Pena Nieto's government. To temper both national and international concerns, Mexico's Lower House has been working to pass a raft of anti-corruption measures. In February, it passed the National Anticorruption System, an attempt to coordinate federal, state, and local anti-corruption efforts, while in March the Senate ratified the General Law of Transparency, aimed at clarifying how public funds are spent.

Impacts

• Mexico's (and particularly the PRI's) poor record on limiting corruption does not generate optimism over the measures' efficacy.
• Sitting politicians still appear to be lacking the political will to stop corruption.
• The administration's increasing control of the public sphere will constrain the exposure of corruption.