Introduction to the Term and Its Origin
In recent years, the term “mexicanización” has gained prominence in French political discussions. Initially coined by Pope Francis in 2015 during a conversation with an Argentine deputy, it has since been adopted by French politicians and security experts as a warning against the potential for France to face similar challenges to those experienced by Mexico.
Key Figures and Their Statements
Notable figures such as French Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, Senator Didier Migaud, and Étienne Blanc have used the term to describe the risk of France succumbing to a “Mexican” type of violence—territorial, impunity-driven, and systemic.
- Bruno Retailleau: Following a drug-related attack on a five-year-old child in Rennes, Retailleau warned of the possibility of either “general mobilization” or “the mexicanisation of the country.”
- Didier Migaud: The Justice Minister mentioned “mexicanisation, narco-chusma, and narcoenclaves” in the context of a parliamentary commission on drug trafficking.
- Étienne Blanc: As co-reporter of the parliamentary commission on drug trafficking, Blanc introduced the term in an official report before it gained widespread attention.
The Symbolism of “Mexicanisation”
The term “mexicanización” has become a recurring symbol in France—and increasingly across Europe—to describe an extreme security scenario characterized by daylight murders, systematic extortion, territorial control, public official complicity, structural impunity, and the gradual erosion of the rule of law.
Moreover, there are concerns about the “mexicanization” of the political class when some leaders start resembling their Mexican counterparts: ineptocrats, kleptocrats, mediocrities, and often complicit—or integral parts—of the same cartels they should be combating.
International Perception of Mexico
The Mexican observer of these debates is shocked to discover what the term reveals about the international perception of Mexico: a population abandoned, suffering an unbearable situation yet tolerating or even perpetuating it by electing those who cause or allow it.
Despite the pain, there’s no honest way to combat this perception without acknowledging the facts. The world views Mexico as a failed state marked by violence, extortion, corruption, and ineptitude—a democracy weakened by constant internal assaults, often referred to as a narco-government.
What is Being Unequivocally Avoided
The reference to Mexico’s recent years—portrayed as a war-torn, lawless nation governed by narcopoliticians and kleptocrats—is stern but not gratuitous. It serves as a warning to France and other nations about the very scenario they aim to avoid at all costs: mexicanization.
