On Dec. 1 Enrique Peña Nieto took the oath of office and began his six-year term as president of Mexico. He immediately directed his cabinet — which skews toward economic and technocratic know-how — to get to work, announcing a sweeping 13-point plan for immediate enactment. The next day, he joined leaders of the two main opposition parties for the signing of a Pact for Mexico, a plan to promote Mexico’s development.

These and other decisive moves are generating excitement for the country. Whereas a couple of weeks ago there were undercurrents of optimism, there’s now talk of the need to manage expectations.

Mexico has changed profoundly in the 12 years since Peña Nieto’s party last held the presidency. The PRI, which ran the country for 70 uninterrupted years, has inherited a nation that is on the rise.

Consider Mexico’s economy. After concerted effort, it now ranks among the world’s most open and competitive. Trade makes up a bigger portion of Mexico’s GDP (63 percent) than of any other large country’s, including the United States and China. And the country is steadily attracting global investors, rivaling Brazil and China as a location for foreign investment.

via In Mexico, a new course under a new president | TBO.com.