The Existential Struggle for Mexico’s Democracy

There is a lot to be bullish about when it comes to Arizona's most important trade partner and neighbor to the south. Mexico's resilient economy continues to benefit from the strengthening of North American supply chains and resulting foreign investment. For more than a generation and across a number of governments representing different ideological persuasions, Mexico has proven a reliable economic and security partner to the United States.

However, in this important presidential election year on both sides of the border, Mexico faces continuing challenges in its quest to consolidate the democratic gains made since the historic 2000 election and Mexico's embrace of free and fair elections. Corruption, uncertainty about the independence of institutions tasked with safeguarding Mexico's democracy and widespread violence all threaten the country's rule of law – far too many journalists and advocates for human and environmental rights are attacked with impunity across the country.

Alejandro Legorreta and Ambassador John Feeley believe that civil society is the key to Mexico's democratic future. A successful philanthropist, entrepreneur and publisher of one of Latin America's most revered publications, Legorreta has created organizations focused on fostering civic-minded citizenship and social awareness in the corporate sector. Ambassador Feeley is a former career U.S. Foreign Service officer who served as the Deputy Chief of Mission in Mexico City and as U.S. Ambassador in Panama, among other postings. He is the founder and director of the Center for Media Integrity of the Americas, a non-profit dedicated to high-quality journalism and the protection of free speech.

Join the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication and the Phoenix Committee on Foreign Relations on Feb. 22 for a conversation with Alejandro Legorreta and John Feeley to consider the future of Mexico's democracy and what it means for all of us.