Resumen

AVILA JAQUEZ, Carmen  y  GABARROT ARENAS, Mariana. Local Challenges of Social Policy In Mexico: The Operation of Programa de Desarrollo Humano Oportunidades in an Indigenous Community under Uses and Customs Government System. CONfines relacion. internaci. ciencia política [online]. 2009, vol.5, n.9, pp.67-82. ISSN 1870-3569.

This paper analyzes the operation of a governmental policy of poverty alleviation, Desarrollo Humano Oportunidades, in an indigenous community. Based on qualitative research results, it demonstrates how this program -which was designed as a standardized measure for the whole country-presents challenges and complexities at the local level. First, it offers a brief description of Oportunidades' operation. Secondly, it explains the corporate government system (uses and customs,) of an Oaxacan indigenous community and the local actors involved in Oportunidades. Then, it considers the impact of this policy in terms of the relationship between Oportunidades' actors and the uses and coustoms government officials. Finally, it offers some general guidelines to improve the operation of the program in indigenous communities.

Palabras llave : federal programs; Oportunidades; uses and customs; indigenous; Oaxaca.