Is There a New Youth Policy in Mexico?

Abstract

This article analyzes the youth policy promoted by the Andrés Manuel López Obrador administration. We contend that, although this government claims to be implementing an alternative approach to promote social inclusion for the youth, its actions seem to be far from fulfilling this commitment. “Jóvenes Construyendo el Futuro,” the chief youth program of this government, hardly improves employment prospects for the most deprived youth and brings about no improvement in terms of the existing social stereotypes concerning this population. By assuming that this group of marginalized youth faces the risk of being recruited into organized crime, the authorities’ narrative contributes toward reinforcing conventional social stigmas that exacerbate social marginalization.