To be or not to be: Has Mexico got what it takes to be an Emerging Power?

The document argues that while Mexico has the economic resources of an emerging power—ranking as the 11th-largest economy by purchasing power parity—it fails to project leadership globally or regionally. It identifies a lack of strategic foreign-policy vision, an inconsistent international identity as a 'bridge' between North and Central America, and a tendency to act as a 'status quo middle power' rather than a revisionist force. The author notes that Mexico's heavy dependence on the US and limited engagement in UN security issues and peacekeeping missions further hinder its potential to exercise the influence typical of emerging powers like the BRICS nations.

• Mexico possesses the material economic resources of an emerging power, ranking as the 11th-largest economy globally by purchasing power parity, the 14th-largest by land mass, and the 12th most populous.
• Despite its resources, Mexico lacks the capacity to influence the international order or exercise regional leadership, failing to meet criteria typical of emerging powers such as a strong international identity and a desire to revise the existing world order.
• Mexico's international influence is limited by its reluctance to engage in security issues, low participation in the UN Security Council compared to Brazil, and a lack of military engagement in peacekeeping missions.
• Mexico suffers from a 'crisis of identity' due to its geography, attempting to position itself as a 'bridge' or 'hinge' between North and Central America, though this role is viewed as 'merely aspirational' and not recognized by other developing nations.
• Mexico's regional leadership in Latin America has been inconsistent and often used merely as a strategy to balance its relationship with the US, with exports to the region accounting for only around 2% of its total export trade.

APA

Bruera, H. G. (2015). To be or not to be: Has Mexico got what it takes to be an Emerging Power? South African Institute of International Affairs. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Policy-Insights-6.pdf

Chicago

Bruera, Hernán Gómez. To be or not to be: Has Mexico got what it takes to be an Emerging Power? South African Institute of International Affairs, 2015. https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Policy-Insights-6.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Bruera |first1=Hernán Gómez |title=To be or not to be: Has Mexico got what it takes to be an Emerging Power? |publisher=South African Institute of International Affairs |date=March 2015 |url=https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Policy-Insights-6.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{bruera2015not, author = {Bruera, Hernán Gómez}, title = {{To be or not to be: Has Mexico got what it takes to be an Emerging Power?}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2015}, month = mar, url = {https://saiia.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Policy-Insights-6.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }