17. The Mexican Army and Political Order since 1940

The Mexican army has been extensively involved in the promotion of public order in ways that have apparently had considerable impact on local security, political, and socio-economic conditions. Moreover, army involvement in national development since 1940 has been quite constant and enduring, even though at a relatively low level compared to most Latin American militaries. The paper develops an analysis of the army's political involvement. The first section attempts to specify briefly what the army's 'residual' political roles are. The next section discusses some internal military, and external political factors that may affect changes in those roles.