Decoding government discourse on the IMF: the case of Mexico

This thesis explores the motivations and determinants behind borrowing governments' discourse on the International Monetary Fund (IMF), focusing on the case of Mexico. The objective of this thesis is to shed light on the attitudes toward international organizations by unraveling the factors shaping the sentiment of incumbent governments regarding the IMF in the context of changing economic and political circumstances. The main question guiding this study was, "What factors determine the borrowing governments' discourse on the IMF?" Drawing on the qualitative method of critical discourse analysis (CDA) and the discourse-historical approach (DHA), this thesis examines the tone portrayed in Mexican policymakers' discourse between 2013 and 2023 through an analysis of primary and secondary sources. The results of this analysis revealed a shift in the Mexican political discourse concerning the IMF from a positive and optimistic sentiment to a negative and blaming tone. This shift was characterized by a number of factors. Firstly, the era before the election of the left-wing populist leader, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), witnessed a positive tone, indicating cooperation and endorsement between Mexico and the Fund, particularly during Enrique Peña Nieto's presidency. Conversely, beginning with AMLO's electoral campaign and under AMLO's leadership since December 2018, the sentiment gradually transitioned from unreserved optimism to increasing hostility, notably intensifying during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondly, this thesis concludes that the governmental statements, since the populist government assumed power, positioned the government as the defender of the people against the corrupt elites both in domestic and international politics and displayed a more emotional language than the non-populist government. Lastly, the intensification of negative tone and scapegoating language in discourse coincided with the consolidation of power and legitimacy of the government within domestic politics. This thesis is novel as it addresses an understudied area at the intersection of IMF literature and populism studies. This research contributes to the literature by providing insights into how borrowing governments' discourse towards the IMF evolve for scholars of international relations and international political economy.