Between diplomatic crisis and economic interaction: An information battle, public diplomacy and investments in US-Mexico relations, 1876-1880

Abstract

In the second half of the 1870s, relations between the United States and Mexico faced a difficult situation. On the one hand, an acute diplomatic and security crisis occurred, involving various dimensions of Mexican sovereignty. On the other hand, foundations for modern economic exchange between the two countries were laid, based on the developing railroad connection. This article analyses this situation focusing on the relationship between diplomatic, economic and information interactions, seeking to understand how the conflict was settled. The analysis of the crisis management demonstrates that the solution was contingent upon the use of unconventional diplomatic channels, which had important implications for the course of the bilateral relationships that followed.