A Tale of Two Presidents
For the United States media, Mexico is a problematic nation. Its people come here illegally, snatch up jobs, and aid in the influx of narcotics into the country.
Mexico itself is mired in poverty and corruption. Violence is widespread, and economic opportunities are constrained. That is the standard view, propagated by the media.
However, journalists practically ignore the profound history being made to our south.
This is thanks to the 11-month tenure of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum. Presidential terms in Mexico are six years.
Sheinbaum’s achievements so far center on advancing sweeping legislative reforms, improving the economy, and launching ambitious policies in social welfare, security, gender equality, and infrastructure.
Homicide rates have dropped by approximately 16–25%, with daily homicides down from 86.9 to 64.5 in the first months of her term.
Organized crime groups, including the Sinaloa Cartel, have been targeted with expanded intelligence and military operations, resulting in significant arrests and record drug and narcotic seizures.
Major deployment of the National Guard and implementation of gun buyback programs have bolstered public safety initiatives.
Landmark constitutional amendments have enshrined social programs, raised the minimum wage by 12%, and advanced the elevation of gender equality and anti-discrimination.
Social benefits for women aged 60–64 and new programs for students and pensioners have been launched, continuing and expanding AMLO-era welfare.
Mexico reached record foreign direct investment, is now the US’s largest trading partner, and sits as the world’s 12th largest economy.
Tax collection increased 8.5% annually in the first eight months of 2025, while inflation dipped to 3.5%.
Public works include new highways, completed Maya Train rail operations, new schools, and expanded healthcare facilities.
She is the first woman and Jewish person to be elected president of Mexico, representing a historic milestone for gender representation.
Constitutional reforms effected pay equity, enhanced protections against gender violence, and established a Ministry of Women.
Approval ratings have consistently exceeded 70–78%, making Sheinbaum Mexico’s most popular president at this stage in decades.
The Mexican leader publicly acknowledges the severe challenges facing the nation, and she vows to keep tackling them.
Oh, and President Sheinbaum is one of just seven world leaders with a doctorate.
Mexico and the United States have always been dissimilar. This is particularly true when assessing the current governments.
What to make of Donald Trump?
To begin, let’s examine the economy.
Tariffs have led to a significant contraction of the US economy, with persistent adverse effects on GDP, rising unemployment, and widespread job losses, particularly among government workers, since their imposition in 2025.
US real GDP growth over 2025 and 2026 has been about 0.5 percentage points lower each year because of tariffs, shrinking the economy by -0.4% in the long run ( a loss of roughly $125 billion annually in 2024 dollars).
The unemployment rate rose by 0.3 percentage points by the end of 2025, and payroll employment is 505,000 lower, with economic pain especially intense in manufacturing, agriculture, and construction. Tariffs have generated government revenue—up to 5% of the federal budget—but the fiscal gains are offset by dynamic revenue declines as the broader economy contracts.
Job losses have been widespread, with manufacturing output up 2.1% but more than offset by declines in sectors like construction (-3.6%) and agriculture (-0.8%).
Additional losses result from foreign retaliation, such as China’s counter-tariffs, which contributed to hundreds of thousands more lost jobs. The August 2025 jobs report noted only 22,000 jobs added, with layoffs in the federal government, construction, and retail directly tied to tariff policies.
The hardest hit sector has been federal government employment. Nearly 300,000 government jobs have been eliminated so far in 2025, surpassing other sectors—with 84,000 federal positions lost between January and July, and an additional 20,000 expected to be lost in August.
Many job reductions come from buyouts, layoffs, and program cuts, and tens of thousands of government workers remain in deferred resignation programs. These cuts have ongoing and not fully reflected impacts in monthly data due to legal challenges, with continued acceleration expected.
Trump has a thing for legal battles.
Over 337 active cases are challenging the Trump administration’s actions. More than 186 legal actions have been filed against the administration since January 2025.
There are about 298 active cases specifically challenging administration actions, with dozens more related cases.
The Supreme Court has been particularly active in 2025 regarding Trump-related cases:
Several rulings have been made on executive orders, including those regarding birthright citizenship, deportations, federal worker dismissals, and agency restructuring.
Some rulings favor the administration; others block its actions.
Significant legal challenges include: Birthright citizenship restrictions, federal worker dismissals, and “Reductions in force,” immigration and deportation policies
Trump has been involved in hundreds of court cases in 2025, ranging from his ongoing personal criminal and civil appeals to the massive wave of litigation challenging his administration’s executive actions.
While the exact total number fluctuates as cases are filed, dismissed, or resolved, the litigation tracker shows over 337 active cases against his administration alone, making 2025 one of the most legally contentious years for any presidency.
The huge takeaway is that while the Trump regime has overseen a troubled economy and been tangled in one legal tussle after another, Claudia Sheinbaum is focused on moving Mexico forward.
Ricardo Chavira Chicano 