In partnership with the Maguire Energy Institute, the John Goodwin Tower Center for Political Studies had the privilege to bring Congressman Javier Treviño Cantú from Mexico to Dallas last Friday. Congressman Treviño is an elected official of the Mexican Federal Congress for the Partido Revolucionario Institucional (PRI), and has been well involved in Mexico’s recent energy reformation process. His appearance gave scholars, government officials, business professionals, and even students some unique insights on the prospects and implications regarding the energy reform.
Congressman Treviño opened his discussion by analyzing three vital aspects: the current predicaments and objectives that the government of Mexico is aggressively addressing, the purpose and future of the new constitutional amendments that have been ratified, and energy trends that led to the necessity of implementing a novel energy reform. Specifics of the energy reform itself were also meticulously explained, showing that Mexico indeed has a viable plan for revitalizing the nation and entering the world economy as a major energy player.
Despite opposition from political actors and interests groups who wish to retain Mexico’s old policy on energy, Congressman Treviño remains optimistic that the citizens of Mexico, and indeed the international community, will come to see these reforms as progressive and economically beneficial. Much thought and effort has been put into these reforms to ensure Mexico’s future is secured, all while promoting transparency and anti-corruption policies. Although it is still early to feel the effects of the reforms, this feat has the opportunity to transform North America into an energy powerhouse. Indeed, the future is beginning to look much brighter for Mexico.
– Julien Teel, 2013 Tower Center Vaughn Intern
Julien Teel recently graduated from SMU in December 2013 with a degree in Political Science and International Studies. His research encompasses security and defense issues in East Asia, as well as analyzing the trilateral relationship between the U.S., Japan, and China. Currently, Julien is in the process of applying for Officer Candidate School in the Navy with the intention of entering as an Intelligence Officer. He eventually hopes to become a Foreign Area Officer in the Navy, formulating and promoting American foreign policy in the Asia-Pacific region.