While the War on Terror took attention away from immigration and Mexico until 2007, Mexico still has been on the path of solidifying external relations since the victory of Fox and within the administration of the current President Calderon. Part of the reintegration of Mexico into the world community and its transformation as a strong emerging market came with political changes as well. Traditionally, Mexico has been seen in the light of policies which saw the US as an aggressor, with much of the 20th century being framed in policies from Cardenas and nationalisations of foreign industry that took hold in the interwar period and into the 1960s. Mexican-US relations were minimal until the late 1960s, and with these policies also came the support, at least verbally, for anti-US movements in Latin America, especially passive support for Cuba via trade and cultural ties. With ties came immigration, and until this week Cubans who can gain asylum in the US have been coming through Mexico as well as the sea in order to make a new life in the United States.
While over 11,000 Cubans came into the US through Mexico last year, Mexico has finally taken actions to close many of the routes for Cubans coming into the US through Mexico, mainly for security reasons, but also satisfying many Cuban officials who saw their citizens leaving for the US via Mexico as politically damaging to Cuba itself. While Cuban-Mexican relations have become more tense since 2000, this action, while likely not for the benefit of the Cuban Government is seen as an olive branch between the two nations. In the end, the tightening of borders will only stop a fraction of migrants from passing into the US. While economic troubles and tighter security may deter some from coming, economic osmosis will still bring Cubans and Mexicans across the border to seek a living in the US and escape intense poverty in their own countries.