The war has brought peace to Mexico

Mexico’s experience of World War II shows a path for Sheinbaum to thrive under Trump.

“As a wartime leader, [Mexico’s] president was also able to obtain a degree of support from organizations on the left and the right that would otherwise have been inclined to be more sharply critical of the government and many of its policies.”

This line can be found in Halbert Jones’ book The War Has Brought Peace to Mexico (quotes from it will be in italics). It tells the story of the lead up to and entanglement of the Mexican government and its people in World War II. The book doesn’t linger too much on the war itself but rather on Mexico’s domestic situation—and how it brought a country from strife and anarchy to stability… and one-party rule.

One cannot help but replace the names and references to the 1940’s with the geopolitics of today. But how much will the coming trade war with the United States reflect that real war 80 years ago? Will the current crisis result in a stronger or at least more unified Mexico?

Let us delve into the past to glean hints of the future.