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Mexico’s new level of transparency

December 23, 2013

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Mexican politics has long been undermined by a lack of trust and transparency, with the public holding little faith in officials notorious for indulging in acts of corruption.

But in one small corner of the country, a remarkable transformation has taken place in the last four years – one that could provide a model for building a more open and democratic society.

In 2009 the municipality of Tlajomulco de Zúñiga had one of the least accountable governments in Mexico. Now, governed by the liberal Citizens’ Movement, it boasts the most transparent administration in the country, according to Mexican NGO Cimtra.

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Click here to read this feature in full. I spent several weeks working on this article, which will hopefully be the first of many for Al Jazeera. Merry Christmas to everyone from a very cold and wet corner of England!

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7 Comments leave one →
  1. tracybarnett permalink
    December 23, 2013 22:43

    Excellent story – so good to find some good news about our little corner of the world! I am so glad to discover you and I look forward to following your reporting in the months ahead.

  2. December 24, 2013 00:52

    Thanks Tracy, glad you liked the story and hope you enjoy the blog in general.

    • tracybarnett permalink
      December 24, 2013 18:21

      I do indeed. It’s the type of thoughtful coverage of Guadalajara and Western Mexico that I’ve been hoping to find. I’ve subscribed and will be looking forward to reading your stories!

  3. tracybarnett permalink
    December 24, 2013 18:32

    Does this article exist somewhere in Spanish BTW so I can share it with Spanish-speaking friends?

  4. December 24, 2013 18:36

    Not yet, but Mayor del Toro told me that his administration would like to translate it for the benefit of those that do not speak English. I will post a link whenever it is done.

    • tracybarnett permalink
      December 25, 2013 01:30

      Great, I will look for it! We are all badly in need of some good news!

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