Thread: Remittances Sparks Debate Between Mexico and Its Migrants

Drop in Remittances Sparks Debate Between Mexico and Its Migrants

La Opinión, News Digest, Gardenia Mendoza Aguilar and Eileen Truax, Translated by Suzanne Manneh, Posted: Aug 18, 2008

Editor's Note: A Mexican government official called on Mexican workers in the United States to send more money home, but Mexican migrants did not respond favorably. Gardenia Mendoza Aguilar reports from Mexico City and Eileen Truax from Los Angeles for La Opinión.

Drop in Remittances Felt by Mexican Families

Remittances to Mexico are down and people like Rosalinda Ortiz, who depend on money sent from the United States, are feeling the impact on their wallets. Ortiz’s husband, an undocumented immigrant who worked as a bricklayer in Wisconsin, stopped sending her money six months ago when he lost his job. Since then, he has traveled to various states in search of work: Illinois, Nevada, and even Texas, where he considered crossing the border back to Mexico.

To support herself and her three children, Ortiz opened a traveling quesadilla shop in her community north of the state of Guerrero, and earns 400 pesos a week — the equivalent of $40 — just enough to cover her family's basic expenses.

Most families that depend on remittances spend the money on food, medicine and their children's education. They can’t afford to put money into savings toward building their own homes or other expenses.

"Mexico is addicted to and very dependent on remittances," asserted Rodolfo Garcia Zamora, developmental studies researcher at the Autonomous University of Zacatecas (UAZ).

According to the Bank of Mexico, 12.6 percent of the families residing in Mexico's municipalities receive money from the United States. Remittances are the second largest source of income for Mexico, behind oil exports.

In 2007, remittances flowing into Mexico reached a high of $23.98 billion, but the Bank of Mexico estimates that they declined by 2.2 percent in the first half of this year.

Additionally, an estimated 100,000 Mexicans have returned to their home communities so far this year as a result of their perilous economic and social situation in the United States, which may begin with the loss of a job, and end in detainment and deportation.


The Mexican Government Intervenes

The drop in remittances to Mexico has prompted Mexican Secretary of the Interior Juan Camilo Mourino to urge Mexican nationals in the United States to keep sending money and invest in their home country.

"These are our people, our countrymen and their commitment to Mexico is vital to this country," he said. He also added that he plans to expand a social welfare program that seeks to develop Mexico's poorest communities and support Mexican migrants in the United States. "We must find ways to overcome this crisis," said Mourinio who explained that the large number of returnees plus the young people ready to enter the workforce are additional challenges for Mexico's economy.

Yet he said that the Mexican government has taken steps to prepare for the crisis, including tax incentives in marginalized communities, increased public spending and temporary employment programs for returning migrants.

Mouriño spent the weekend in Los Angeles, where he met with Mexican migrant communities to exchange ideas and identify their greatest challenges.


U.S. Mexicans Respond

But Mexican nationals in the United States did not react favorably to Mourino's call to action.

While they are willing to support their home country, migrants say they expect the same from their government.

One day laborer expressed his frustration with Mourino's speech, saying, "He wants us to send more money? Well get us more jobs.â€

Too bad so sad! Americans are losing their homes, jobs and security...our focus needs to be on America and her economy...NOT Mexico.

I have no sympathy for the Mexican leeches that have bleed us dry!

This leaching mentality coming from Mexico must end! How can government officials and politicians hold their heads high and walk with pride knowing that they're a bunch of leachers and promote leaching as a means for their country's continued survival?

Acting like a flea that is dependent upon a host animal isn't exactly what I'd call dignified behavior for folks that walk upright on two legs.

The Mexican Government Intervenes

The drop in remittances to Mexico has prompted Mexican Secretary of the Interior Juan Camilo Mourino to urge Mexican nationals in the United States to keep sending money and invest in their home country.

This is why mexico will NEVER, EVER do anything to provide economic opportunity for its citizens in that country! This is why mexico continues to encourage it's illiterate, it's criminals, and peasants to invade this country...

How about if Mexicans pay the bills they accrue here first - like medical, rent and social services. They support their families in Mexico while we support them here. What a deal - for Mexico.

Is there even ONE Mexican on the planet that believes in accountability?

Mexico is a boil on America that needs to be lanced!

Mexico will never make anything of itself if it keeps on shipping out it's able bodied citizens and relying on their subsequent remittances. The best thing we could do for them is to deport all illegals and make Mexico accoutable for their actions.

Even mass deportation wouldn't help until we seal the border.

Where are you McCain? You've been talking about securing the border for months. Action speaks louder than words.

You know what's really sad is Mexico is dependent on the illegal activity of it's citizens and complains when they don't work hard enough.
They've created a false economy that's doomed to fail, how can they trust an economy that relys on uneducated laborers working illegaly in a foriegn country? This is suicidal madness!

Originally Posted by ELE

Too bad so sad! Americans are losing their homes, jobs and security...our focus needs to be on America and her economy...NOT Mexico.

I have no sympathy for the Mexican leeches that have bleed us dry!

my sentiment exactly

Originally Posted by MountainDog

You know what's really sad is Mexico is dependent on the illegal activity of it's citizens and complains when they don't work hard enough.
They've created a false economy that's doomed to fail, how can they trust an economy that relys on uneducated laborers working illegaly in a foriegn country? This is suicidal madness!

You are correct, MountainDog. Instead of instituting PERMANENT VIABLE REFORMS IN MEXICO, their answer is to beg for more money from their illegals here who are subject to deportation at any moment. Is that logical at all?? Why put all your eggs in one basket which has a hole in it? What kinda people are running that govt?? Do they teach Economics there at all??

What sweet irony for us. After 20+ years of depending on remittances instead of developing socio-economic reform IN MEXICO, they are now acting like "HUH? What happened?" Absolutely zero foresight. And they can thank all their past presidents during those 20 years for that.

Great point EX_OC. From the latest I heard was that Mexico's gross domestic product (GDP) income first comes from their oil production, which includes machinery ready to die a non-violent death, and in the No. 2 spot: remittances from illegals in the US.
CLOSE THE BORDERS! A question to the powers in office at the moment-- what is it about the draining of the country the the word illegal that has not been explained? I would gladly offer my services to those that need a little objective on the problem.