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Why Is the Pres. of Mexico Trying to Change His Country’s Name?

Nov. 22, 2012 7:55pm Erica Ritz

Mexican President Felipe Calderon Tries to Change His Countrys Name

Mexican President Felipe Calderon answers a questions after speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations in Washington, Monday, Sept. 24, 2012. (Photo: AP)

(TheBlaze/AP) — Mexico’s president is making one last attempt to get the “United States” out of Mexico – at least as far as the country’s name is concerned.

The name “United Mexican States,” or “Estados Unidos Mexicanos,” was adopted in 1824 after independence from Spain in imitation of Mexico’s democratic northern neighbor, but it is rarely used except on official documents, money and other government material.

Still, President Felipe Calderon called a news conference Thursday to announce that he wants to make the name simply “Mexico.” His country doesn’t need to copy anyone, he said.

Calderon first proposed the name change as a congressman in 2003 but the bill did not make it to a vote. The new constitutional reform he proposed would have to be approved by both houses of Congress and a majority of Mexico’s 31 state legislatures.

However, Calderon leaves office on Dec. 1, raising the question of whether his proposal is a largely symbolic gesture. His proposal was widely mocked on Twitter as a ridiculous parting shot from a lame-duck president.

Calderon said that while the name change “doesn’t have the urgency of other reforms,” it should be seen as a relevant issue. “Mexico doesn’t need a name that emulates another country and that no one uses on a daily basis,” he said.

(Photo: AP)

The United States looms larger than perhaps any other country in the Mexican cultural imagination: Mexicans follow U.S. sports teams, watch U.S. television shows and buy U.S.-made products. For many, however, there is also resentment of a larger and more powerful northern neighbor that’s often seen as ignoring or looking down its nose at Mexico.

Calderon has tried to keep Mexico’s international image, and its vital tourism industry, from being tarred by the waves of violence set off by his six-year, militarized offensive against drug cartels. At least 47,500 people have died in cartel-related violence during his term in office, although the number is believed to be far higher, since his administration stopped releasing an official count last year.

A poll released this week by the Vianovo consulting firm said that half of all Americans view Mexico unfavorably and more than 70 percent believe it’s unsafe to travel south of the border. The poll of 1,000 adults had a margin of error of four percentage points.

“It’s time for Mexicans to return to the beauty and simplicity of the name of our country, Mexico,” Calderon said. “A name that we chant, that we sing, that makes us happy, that we identify with, that fills us with pride.”

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Comments (60)

raderby
Posted on November 23, 2012 at 8:45am
This cast iron *Caldron* guy wants ? for a new name? Something snappy like “Progressio”?

Slimeball. We need a wall like Snake had to climb in “Escape from NY” movie – from San Diego to El Paso.

Let the Wall of China be our guide.

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- RabidPatriot
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 1:17pm
  They should just change the name to South Texas. It would confuse ICE and they wouldn’t get deported anymore.
  
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Hawk69
Posted on November 23, 2012 at 7:04am
Add your comments

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scrapadapolis
Posted on November 23, 2012 at 6:16am
If mexico is so poor,How do they pay their president and other elected officials?Or does Oblama send them a weekly paycheck?

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- Sgt_Rock
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 2:18pm
  It comes from the $21.5 Billion that illegals send home to mexico every year. Furthermore, according to the Inter-American Development Bank, all of Latin America received $69.2 billion in remittances from, central and south Americans the U.S. in 2009 alone.
  
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txn4justice
Posted on November 23, 2012 at 5:25am
They should change the name to Messico. Because it is a mess. Dispute that!

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PIGSWILLNEVERFLY
Posted on November 23, 2012 at 3:16am
@WHATTHECRAZY – UN Agenda 21 is being implemented world wide. It is redistribution of wealth from Western countries to “Third World” countries. China talks about “sustainable development” all the time. It is UN driven for One World Government; one economic system with the World Bank and International Monetary Fund. There will be no boarders. The new boarders will be the airports. That’s why the TSA . The goal of the UN is to erase Nationalism so everything is more “fair”. They want only One Military, NATO and One Faith were all are blended into one. They are insane power hungry monsters. UN out of the US; US out of the UN. CRUSH AGENDA 21

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- Joseph2
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 4:53am
  I’m a Conservative guy. I read a lot of message boards to see what people are thinking. I don’t particularly like grammar police. I do have one specific request though. I wish people would stop using “boarder” when they mean “border”. It isn’t “Boarder Patrol”, right? That’s what you have when Aunt Bea walks the halls of the Boarding House. Please try to remember that South of the Border, Down Mexico Way we don’t care how they spell stuff but in Estados Unidos we have certain standards.
  
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- Ed_North
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 5:15am
  This insanity must be stopped before these idiots plunge us into a new dark ages. Read fresh political commentary at: http://smallcraftadvisorychronicles.blogspot.com/
  
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- whatthecrazy
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 11:00am
  @Pigswillneverfly thanks for time and info and by the way i couldn’t give a hoot how you spelled anything,what i do care about is you took the time to answer my question .Thank you!
  
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eek
Posted on November 23, 2012 at 1:20am
Will this name change include welfare, free health care, free housing, free schooling, and a form of social security to anyone who sets foot on Mexican soil? If so watch how fast they smuggle themselves back to Mexico.

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- Ken2
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 1:37am
  No…that will still be covered by the “United States”.
  
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aproudinfidel
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 11:38pm
Guess who else doesn’t like the name United Mexican States? Americans, that’s who.

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- Gonzo
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 10:50am
  I think they’re going with Zetaland.
  
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DadRocked
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:24pm
Nothing more pressing in Mexico than to play with minor schtuff?
More and more like the U.S. to me…

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- Max jones
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:49pm
  “A rose, by any other name, would smell as sweet.”
  
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mbean
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:20pm
I guess mexico doies not have any other real problems for him to deal with.

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tommyr
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 10:06pm
I think El Presidente ought to focus on more pressing issues with his cesspool of a country. Now there’s an idea. Name it “Cesspoolo”.

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GoodStuff
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 9:54pm
It’s Tebow time.

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Al J Zira
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 9:44pm
The heck with keeping the United States of out of Mexico, who cares. Hos about keeping the illegal Mexicans out of the United States? And we don’t want the Irish!

OK, the Irish can come.

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Minarchistman
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 9:38pm
Puts the Meh…into to Meh-hee-co. No one gives a crap

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cloudsofwar
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 9:08pm
calderon and obama both want to change the history of Mexico and America. they are simpatico.

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- jimbo_from_suwanee
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 9:39pm
  One wants the change United Mexican States to Mexico, and the other has changed the United States of America to the Socialist Oligarchy of America.
  
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The-Monk
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:36pm
“Mexico’s president is making one last attempt to get the “United States” out of Mexico…”

Why not just go for getting “Mexico” out of the United States?

As usual…. people are thinking backwards. : (

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- Hawk69
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 7:00am
  Great comment. If his focus is on keeping United States out of their name, it should also be on keeping their citizens from illegally coming to the United States.
  
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Impenitent
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:29pm
Montezuma’s revenge?

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Stelex
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:26pm
Think like a megalomaniac and you might just understand how our gov works and the UN.

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Stelex
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:24pm
The goal is to unify the Mexicans, US and Canada. Just one more step the the world Gov. This is already in play in the UN. This is why multiculturalism is being pushed on all countries. Breaking down boarders. Sounds nice on the surface but trying to push a couple hundred dysfunctional country’s into getting along is just gonna end badly. Very badly ……Socialism always does. End the UN save the world.

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- Red Meat
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:29pm
  I blame Bush and the GOP.
  
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- Stelex
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:36pm
  I blame the Jets…….off to watch the game. By the way, since Bush is responcible for everything, he must have created the universe……BUSH IS A GOD, maybe even THE GOD. By libertarian and liberal logic.
  
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- drenfroe
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 12:43am
  I blame them all. They are in it together but those who like the division of the country just keep finding ways to keep the fight going. Meanwhile the politicians push their agendas. Americans stand together.
  
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- loriann12
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 10:01am
  They probably want a United States of North America.
  
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Brasil2520
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:20pm
For years now, Patrick Buchanan has called Mexico “Afghanistan South”

The State Department has said “Corruption throughout Mexico’s public institutions remains a key impediment to curtailing the power of the drug cartels”

Beheadings, kidnappings, murders are rampant, yet the border is still wide open ?

America Erwache ! ! !

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- thegreatcarnac
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 11:56am
  Ja!
  
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Advection
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:18pm
It is a great shame to the US that Mexico is so poor and violent.

It is a great shame on Obama that his policies towards the Mexican people are aimed at securing more power for himself by giving them gifts instead of working to reform Prohibition and trade laws that would strengthen their economy and end drug war violence.

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- chips1
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:36pm
  If Mexico wanted to improve their economy and industrial capacity, they would have to rid their government of Mexicans. That’s their problem.
  
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- chips1
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:38pm
  P.S.
  They can have the Kenyan. It would be a step up for them.
  
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- Brasil2520
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:40pm
  At the end of the day it’s all about getting the Hispanic vote
  
  Look at what Carter did back in 78, when he let in 100,000+ Cubans to Miami – “north Cuba”
  That area of Miami once in the 1950′s a post card beautifull place became “poor and violent” as the Cubans moved in – the whites moved out, whites started moving out in the 1960′s with the first wave of Cubans, the 1978 boat lift was just the final nail for that area.
  
  So Carter sells out America for the Hispanic vote and still lost the election, LOL !
  The problem is – the damage is done Hispanic’s will out breed whites, and it’s getting to the point that if you speak the Kings English – go back to where you came from..
  
  United States of America 1776 – 1964 R.I.P.
  
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honkytonkman
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:15pm
What’s the fuss ? We will be renaming our country “The Socialist States of America” if people don’t wake up soon………..

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- whatthecrazy
  Posted on November 23, 2012 at 2:44am
  Or The United States of Omerica,I just looked at Agenda 21 and Wow could’nt be more discouraged if i tried.I would like to know is this Agenda being implimented only in America or are these criminal activities going on in other western countries ? Anybody know?
  
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yiska8
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:14pm
Calderon is a little puppet much like the one we have. His nation is a socialized state that relies on the USA through NAFTA and the cartels for enterprise and wealth. Mexico doesn’t have to imitate the U.S…. the United States of America is imitating the Estados Unidos Mexicanos. We’re heading for third world status with our third world Prez. And Mexico could very well be looking down their nose at us. Sad irony. Courtesy of Barack Hussein Obama and the Council on Foreign Relations. Oh, and George Soros.

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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:10pm
The Gauntlet State
(Run like hell)

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mrmikejohnson
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:09pm
Wouldn’t the United States of Mexico be a hellhole, lawless country by any other name?

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TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
Posted on November 22, 2012 at 7:59pm
Hmmmm… rename it…. “Failed State.”

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- Advection
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:08pm
  Nah, that would just be following us again.
  
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- djeffcoat
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:11pm
  And while they are taking the United States out of Mexico, how about taking the illegal Mexican nationals out of the United States?
  
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- circleDwagons
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:12pm
  Epic failure.
  
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- TIME_2_END_THE_PAUL_CAMPAIGN_IN_12
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:14pm
  LOL. Okay…. that’s was a good comeback.
  
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- IndyGuy
  Posted on November 22, 2012 at 8:22pm
  Since they are all dying to go to America,rename it Mexigo…
  
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