Epilogue: Mexico After 2006 and the Case of Nuevo León

AS MENTIONED EARLIER, NUEVO LEÓN’S POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS were among the strongest and most effective ones in the Mexican Republic until very recently. For several years, people used to recognize that institutions in this northern state functioned quite well and problems seemed to be solved through adequate institutional channels. During these times, one could observe political cohesion among the different social, political, and economic groups in the state, basic respect for the rule of law and institu¬tions in general, as well as stability in almost every area of politics and the economy. Nuevo León’s institutions seemed to work quite well and were capable, in most cases, of facing pressures coming from dissident actors and groups. The reality is very different today, due to an extremely complex process that involves transnational actors and “new” forms of organized crime. Understanding the current context requires an in-depth analysis of the new dynamics and new actors that overturned this peace and stability. Such an analysis would explain how institutions that seemed to be relatively strong and effective “suddenly” began to fail and display “unexpected” levels of fragility. The explanation of this phenomenon seems to be essentially related to the appearance of new transnational forces in a “young democracy.