Most people tend to think of this as a United States problem, which it is, but it is as much if not more so a problem for Mexico as well. No matter how many illegal aliens in the U.S. send home a small portion of their income (little better than slave wages in most cases) it cannot be considered a good thing when the Mexican government has a policy of openly encouraging its people to flee to a foreign country. It demonstrates an attitude of surrender and abandonment of the Mexican homeland and an unhealthy willingness to simply go where things are already better rather than addressing the problems in Mexico and working to improve conditions there rather than simply giving up and moving out. Moreover, this is only helping the drug lords and those coyotes who are little better than slave ship captains of old. This should be a warning light for proud Mexicans since people don't want to leave healthy countries. People are immigrating, legally or illegally to countries like the US and Canada because they are prosperous and have opportunities while they are leaving Mexico because things are bad there and rather than helping her people leave the Mexican government should be working on correcting the problems that cause this and helping put a stop to it. How does this relate to the empire you ask? Well, today people are fleeing from Mexico in record numbers, yet when Emperor Maximilian was on the throne 8 to 10,000 Americans moved to Mexico for a change. Vibrant communities and businesses were being established when the republican forces that overthrew the Emperor made this newcomers feel very unwelcome and most went back to the United States. Think about it.
Banderas Monumentales
I see one of these all the time, and anyone who has been anywhere near the border cities of El Paso or Laredo in Texas has seen them too. They are gigantic flags that can be seen from miles away flying in several cities across Mexico, particular border cities like Juarez and Nuevo Laredo. These giant flags are roughly 164 x 94 feet and fly from massive poles that are more than 3 football fields tall and weigh in at 109 tons. The Mexican authorities said that these were to be symbols of patriotism, for the young in particular. I like to see people fly their national flag and I am all for good, healthy patriotism, but I think Mexicans would be better served if their government worked to improve conditions and give the Mexican people a country they can be proud of rather than wasting money on huge flags. I hate to throw a damper on any signs of patriotism, but think about this. The citizens of El Paso, Texas took the appearance of the oversized flag in Juarez as a deliberate provokation and so looked into putting up a matching American flag on their side of the border. El Paso, however, could not afford it when they learned that it would take $450,000 for a flag that big. Think about that -$450,000. . . imagine what that is in pesos! Should the Mexican government really be spending that much money on giant flags when they have a population living in poverty? Now, keep in mind, I am a flag lover, but one of the good things about a monarchy is that with a real person with ties of blood and history to a nation as a focus for loyal patriotism there is no need for this sort of flag-worship that is so common to republics.
Government Corruption
This problem is at the heart of all others in Mexico, though the corruption extends far wider than simply the government. If there is one thing everyone knows about Mexico it is that everyone can be bought. Some of this could be solved by poverty relief, but of course that is extremely difficult in a corrupt country. The core problem is that Mexico is in need of a real spiritual revival, especially among those in power. Groups such as the Falange de Cristo Rey could play a role in this, or the Union Nacional Sinarquista if they are still kicking around, and it is why I would never put any trust in any of the standard, mainstream political parties, especially the PRI, which cannot and will not address the moral poverty that does so much to cause their economic poverty and the lack of trust among the people for their government and civil employees.
Emperor Maximilian, and Emperor Agustin before him, had corrupt men in their governments. It was quite obvious in the case of Emperor Agustin as he was tricked into abdicating by them. However, each of these men were reluctant monarchs, and it is fairly accepted as a general principle that anyone who has something imposed on him is less likely to view that thing as an object to be desired. In this case it is power, a monarch is much easier to trust with power than someone who has ambitiously been trying to seek it out his entire life. Now, any constitutional monarchy is democratic and so there is still the ability to choose corrupt leaders, but the one thing that monarchies provide which no republic can is the presence of an impartial person, with a deep, ancestral link to the country, who can step in to stop these corrupt politicians from doing too much damage.