Abstract

DIAZ VANEGAS, Itzamara  and  MONSIVAIS CARRILLO, Alejandro. Internally Displaced People and Institutional Weakness in Mexico: Analyzing the Case of Chiapas.Translated byLuis Cejudo-Espinosa. Frontera norte [online]. 2022, vol.34, e2278.  Epub Feb 10, 2023. ISSN 2594-0260.  https://doi.org/10.33679/rfn.v1i1.2278.

In recent years, several regions in Mexico are confronting a humanitarian crisis produced by rising numbers of internally displaced people. Some subnational governments have approved innovative legislation on internal displacement due to a lack of regulation at a national level, expecting to provide a solution to such a critical problem. In this article, we analyze the legislation approved in Chiapas. We draw on institutional strength theory to argue that the political process in Chiapas delivered a weak, “aspirational” institution. Far from creating substantive change on this matter, it has only generated assistance-driven actions. This research shows that, despite remarkable legislation, governmental assistance to internally displaced people is still hindered by diverging political interests and weak state capacity.

Keywords : internally displaced people; institutional weakness; violence; subnational politics; Chiapas.