ABSTRACT
An examination of survey data for several years leads some observers to believe that the election of Vicente Fox in 2000 changed the way in which religious belief and behavior is presented in Mexico, increasing people’s willingness to admit that they believed in God. This would have taken place despite the historical contention for power between church and state that marked most of Iberian and IberoAmerican history. In fact, we are observing a long liberal tradition that emphasizes distinction between private and public spheres, religion and politics and as a consequence church and state affairs. In Mexico, “revolution” and “religion” represented frequently conflicting symbols and structures. The 1917 Constitution that had denied the legal personality of the Church was amended in 1992 to recognize it, recovering at the same time the liberal tradition. This took place at the same time that other religions gained adherents, and could be viewed as a step taken to prove that Mexico demonstrated its attachment to the basic values shared by all OECD members: an open market economy, democratic pluralism and respect for human rights. Mexico was admitted to the OECD in 1994.
