20

TUESDAY

For more than 70 years, politicos belonging to Partido Revolucionario Institucional, or PRI, dominated Mexico’s government and economy—kind of like our own Republican Party today, only more so. But in 2000, Mexico opted for el cambio. In Opening Mexico: The Making of a Democracy, New York Times reporters Julia Preston and Samuel Dillon chronicle the winds of change that swept through the nation over three decades, culminating in Mexican President Vicente Fox’s stunning victory, which finally dethroned the “Mesoamerican monarchs” of the PRI. Reform came about through ballots, not bullets, the authors argue, and through efforts by both liberals and conservatives. Moreover, the authors point out, “Mexico’s opening to democracy is one of the few major developments in the country’s modern history that was not shaped by invasion or intervention by the United States.” Preston and Dillon speak at 7 p.m. at Politics and Prose, 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW. Free. (202) 364-1919. (Chris Shott)