It's time to stop ignoring Mexico's poorest regions

The Mexican government has prioritized the development of the southern region of the country. The current administration is not the first one propose this but it could be the first to make it happen.

Today, EL UNIVERSAL reveals that the presidency is planning to implement the Marshall Plan in several regions, especially in the southern and northern borders . The Marshall Plan was a m assive investment the U.S. implemented in Europe at the end of World War II, in order to rebuild Western Europe . Furthermore, it has been revealed that the federal government is in talks with Mexican and U.S. business leaders to ask them to invest in these areas and will commit to creating a favorable business environment .

In Mexico , social inequality is influenced by geography. In the last decades, experts have contrasted two realities: the industrialized northern region and the south, sunk in poverty .

Moreover, according to the gross domestic product report of each state, released by the INEGI , in 2017, the states of Campeche, Tabasco, Oaxaca, and Chiapas were ranked at the bottom of the list with a negative balance of 10.5, 5.0, 3.5, and 3.1 points each. In contrast, Baja California Sur and Puebla are at the top of the list, with annual growth rates of 11.4 and 6.2, followed by Morelos and Coahuila with 5.0 points each.

At the heart of the country, there are other four states that have shown growth levels above the national average : Querétaro, Guanajuato, San Luis Potosí , and Aguascalientes .

No special development program was implemented in these four states, nevertheless, they achieved a positive economic development . Why is the south lagging behind? Why haven't local governments created programs to develop the economy ?

Every development program implemented in Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Guerrero should focus on inclusion as they are the states with the largest Indigenous population . It was only when Zapatistas launched their revolutionary movement , 25 years ago, when society paid attention to the region but over two decades later, there have been very little results.

Furthermore, economic backwardness is not the only issue in the region. It won't be enough to invest millions in the area if health services and education don't improve. This is an area that has been ignored for decades, therefore, supporting and helping its inhabitants is urgent .

Cataracts and poverty are closely related in Mexico

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