to keep a large distance from the United States and at times clearly opposed the U.S. on many issues. Mexico felt like it was necessary to take these precautions against the United States in order to keep it self free from U.S. intervention.(Baer)Until recently, the distrust that Mexicans held towards the United States had been in a stagnate position. In the early 1990s talks of a free trade between the North American countries caused much debate in both the United States and Mexico. In the United States, Congressmen, journalists and politicians argued that having a free trade agreement with Mexico would cause many negative repercussions. These negative repercussions were fabrications that showed how Americans thought they were superior to the Mexicans. While in Mexico, there was a split in feelings about letting the United States in the Mexican affairs. The older generation had reservations about Mexico involving itself with the United States, while the younger generation thought it would be very beneficial to Mexico to become trading partners with the United States.The older generation in Mexico is well represented by the former Mexican ambassador to the United States, Jose Juan de Olloqui. He still thinks of the the northern neighbors as our natural enemy who have always determined when to declare war, sign the peace and, frankly, a goodly part of our bilateral agenda. He viewed the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with much concern. He believes that the United States is one of Mexicos best customers, but Mexico should also balance their relationships with other nations and find other alternatives. In conclusion, he states that Mexico must attempt to make the best of two worlds in its relations with the United States: it needs autonomy to make decisions based on ties own national interests aw well as the ability to increase the benefits from its geographical proximity to the worlds most powerful country. (de Oll...
