The recent surge in Central American migration has challenged Mexico to implement policies that uphold human rights for migrants (especially unaccompanied children) who are passing through the country while also deterring unauthorized crossings at the southern border and cracking down on human smuggling and trafficking. However, finding the appropriate balance for these policies — with a humanitarian focus on the one hand and meeting larger “security concerns” on the other hand — has been elusive for the Mexican government. This paper discusses the historical and political context of Mexico’s various policy responses to the spike in Central American migration through Mexico toward the United States and analyzes related implications for the country’s relationships with the United States and its Central American neighbors.
There is a curious imbalance in energy markets in the Persian Gulf region: Five of the six Gulf monarchies exhibit shortages in domestic supply of natural gas. Meanwhile, Qatar holds the world's third-largest conventional reserves and is the world's No. 2 gas exporter. Why is Qatar, given its enormous resources and relatively small domestic needs, unwilling to supply gas sufficient to meet its neighbors' demand?
