I. Fundamental Function, Roles, and Powers
Mexico

The executive branch in Mexico, being the most powerful compared to the other branches, holds its members to the highest expectations and responsibilities. Within the executive branch are two types of agencies: traditional secretariats (departments) and decentralized units. Traditional secretariats like the Secretariats of Foreign Affairs, work hand-in-hand with the Mexican government. Decentralized units, on the other hand, are state-owned enterprises used to boost developed and developing markets such as PEMEX (Petróleos Mexicanos) (Huck Jr.; International Finance Corporation).

The leader of the executive branch on the federal level is the President. The President is in charge of assigning roles such as Supreme Court Justices (with the approval of the Mexican Senate), the Attorney General, high-ranking military officials, and ambassadors for the nation of Mexico (Pike). On more of a local level, elected officials, such as the State Governors and Mayors, respectively conduct all functions within their areas; however, with the traditional values of the political culture in Mexico, their power is much more limited compared to the federal level(Huck Jr.). Mexico does not have a vice president, meaning if the president were to fall ill or die, the legislators would decide on the next leader (Britannica).

Mexico’s federal executive branch holds many responsibilities but also relies on the legislative and judicial branches for a bit of a power balance. For example, the executive branch implements laws passed by the legislative branches, but the executive branch sets the schedule for legislators; Moreover, the executive branch is responsible for the day-to-day functions of the government. The executive branch also handles procedures regarding a wide range of domestic security concerns and international relations. 

United Arab Emirates

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a very complex government. The UAE is a constitutional monarchy with seven different Emirates (territories) that all report to the same federal government. The Cabinet in the UAE is, of course, very large, but the power is handled almost entirely by the Federal Supreme Council. The Supreme Council holds all seven Emirates that elect the president and vice president. The president joins with the Supreme Council to appoint the Federal Supreme Court. By now the big question is, “Where do the citizens come in?”. The Electoral College is involved in the Federal National Council; however, the Supreme Council is the one that appoints the Council. From there, the president is in charge of appointing his Cabinet (Yates).

The leaders within the UAE consist of the president, vice president, and prime minister. On a local level, there are leaders within each Emirate; however, these jobs can sometimes overlap. For example, after the reelection of President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in May of 2022, he was also appointed as the ruler of Abu Dhabi (U.S./UAE Business Council). The same goes for Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also serves as the prime minister (UAE). For the most part, executive decisions rest in defense and security governance by the president. 

Critical Comparative Analysis

These countries are very different; therefore, it is easier to first go over the similarities. Both Mexico and the UAE have a presidential power that still has a large role in deciding the cabinet and enacting, or vetoing bills. As stated previously, Mexico does not have a vice president to rely on if the president is deemed unfit to serve, instead, they look to their legislative branch to vote on the next in power. Which can make Mexico seem weak in a time of mourning with nobody to immediately assume power. In the UAE, if the president dies, much like a standard monarchy, the next person in line for the throne will take power (Sawe). A big part of the executive branch is the voting process. In Mexico, voting is required after a citizen turns 18, no matter the sex of the individual. Making voting a required obligation for citizens could be dangerous due to misinformation, and uneducated choices. Contrarily, the UAE has a select group of people from the Federal National Council that account for twelve percent of the citizens of the UAE (Central Intelligence Agency). This also can be problematic because the people of the UAE may feel as if their votes do not count, thus, causing political turmoil.

II. Influences
Mexico

The federal executive branch, as stated previously, sets the schedule for the legislatures and the day-to-day functions. However, the list doesn’t end there. Since the Mexican Revolution (1910-1917) there has been an unfair power balance with the rest of the government. In Mexico’s Congress, it is not uncommon for bills to pass in favor of the current president’s party, even if there isn’t a majority (Rubio). For example, in 2022 President López Obrador aimed at expanding the military into everyday life, even though he promised a demilitarized Mexico. This motion ended up passing through and gained support throughout Congress (Wirtschafter and Sarukhan).

Governors have been argued to hold even more influence over the federal deputies than their higher-ranking officials. The state executive branch, primarily governors, holds the power to dictate and influence the candidate selection for local elections which includes people like mayors, local deputies, federal deputies from single-member districts (SMD), and their successors. When diving deeper into the influence that state governors hold over the federal deputies, many look at the 2003 Fiscal Reform Bill. In the late 1990s, the PRI's overwhelming reign over Mexico had come to an end, which led to the fall of discipline within the local governments. Thus, when the Fiscal Reform Bill came around, instead of splitting the bill at a national level, the voting was sent to the state governors, giving them a considerable amount of influence over federal deputies.

United Arab Emirates

The UAE is a significantly newer country. Historically, the United Kingdom owned what is now known as the UAE, thus gaining the influence of a constitutional monarchy; however, the UAE significantly has a stronger sense of federalism, meaning that the power dynamic and influences upon other legislatures are different (United Arab Emirates).

On almost all levels, the president holds most, if not all influence within the government, unless the Vice President is to take over due to unforeseen circumstances. William Rugh, a former UAE ambassador from the United States, stated that the president sets policy while speaking with the other six rulers of the Emirates on critical issues; however, the president has the final say in those decisions (Yates). With the unpredictability of such a powerful ruler, it goes without saying that anything is possible. In 2013, the President of the UAE, Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, called Richard Clarke who at the time was a former counterterrorism czar and working as a consultant for the leader. M.B.Z. took Clark to a remote warehouse located somewhere in the Empty Quarter. Inside, there were armed and uniformed women firing at targets. M.B.Z. explained to Clarke that a lot of his citizens were “fat and lazy” and needed some sort of responsibility, and with that in mind, he was starting a draft (Worth). M.B.Z’s seamless transition into the draft goes to show the extreme amount of influence that he holds and how truly powerful he is.

Critical Comparative Analysis

In both nations, it is fair to say that the executive branch is the most influential. In Mexico, there is an overwhelming superiority between its executive branch and legislative and judiciary branches; furthermore, the governors hold more influence than federal executive deputies. Comparably, the president of the UAE holds most, if not all of the influence. However, the executive branch in Mexico is much more broad compared to the UAE. In Mexico, the president works hand-in-hand with other elected officials and needs approval for most decisions within the Senate. Whereas the UAE president reigns supreme and can make any decision, for the most part, whenever he wants.

III. Strengths and Limitations
Mexico

As stated multiple times before, the executive branch heavily overpowers its fellow branches of government; however, the true question arises when looking at the true strengths and limitations. A lot of the strengths of the executive branch lie within policymaking and foreign affairs. As executive leader, they are expected to negotiate foreign treaties and introduce bills to Congress for their consideration; however, the true strength here lies within vetoing bills. If the president is not too keen on a bill, they reserve the right to veto that bill, and it will not be passed (GlobalEDGE). This has been used many times before in Mexico, most notably in 2016 when the then President of Mexico, Enrique Pena Nieto vetoed a non-corruption bill that would make all people who are funded through the government publicly disclose all of their assets (Staff).

As far as limitations, it seems that the 1910 Revolution shaped all sorts of limits. Most notably, term limits. After Porfirio Díaz’s long-winded, 34-year rule over Mexico, the idea of term limits came to the forefront. After the Revolution and the end of Diaz’s dictatorship, a term limit of one-six-year term was set  (New York Times). The rest of the limitations come down to checks and balances. Which suggests, “the assignment of certain competencies to different bodies and the allocation of legislative, executive and judicial tasks, to create mechanisms of separation, control, collaboration or mutual surveillance” ("Checks, Balances, and Constraints on Government Powers in Mexico"). Which allows the individual freedoms of not just citizens, but workers within each branch.

United Arab Emirates

Strengths from the executive branch mostly go through the president for the final decision, meaning that the largest strength of the executive leader is just that. Moreover, the executive has the strength and power to enact laws and commands, plan general policy, and relieve the prime minister of his post, if seen as necessary (GlobalEDGE). Also part of their strengths is foreign affairs, whose lives are made easy due to the influx of oil within the borders making international relations and trade fairly easy and profitable (UAE Cabinet).

Limitations could possibly be considered a strength due to the loopholes and how relaxed they are. Presidents serve 5-year terms; however, they are not limited by term limits (CIA Factbook). While the term limits are non-existent and can be insanely powerful, the emirs (rulers) of Abu Dhabi and Dubai hold the power to veto the elections for the role of president (“Political Systems of the UAE”), creating a more “fairish” power balance.

Critical Comparative Analysis

As far as strengths go, the UAE and Mexico are quite similar. Both jobs require the executive leaders the power to enact bills based on their own discretion; however, Mexico has more of a “leg up” due to the ability to veto a bill. On the flip side, the limitations for the United Arab Emirates are much more relaxed with the lack of term limits. Unfortunately for the executive leaders in Mexico, they have just six short years to make the impact they want and are forced out of office. Meanwhile, the UAE president could serve for life as long as his reign isn’t ended by the emirs of Abu Dhabi or Dubai and he isn’t voted out.

IV. Impacts on Citizenry
Mexico

As an overview, the first 10 amendments in the Mexican Constitution ensure human rights foreign and domestic, freedom of expression, assembly, and press, the rights of education, healthcare, marriage (not for all), choice of occupation, and finally, the right to bear arms. These rights protect the citizens from unjust laws going into place, threatening their freedom. The executive branch is there to ensure that legislators and judiciaries are not infringing upon these rights (Constitution Project). Mexico’s constitution was made in 1917 and is inspired by constitutions all around the world including the United States and Canada, Mexico’s very close neighbors to the north.

However, this is all very “big picture”, looking closer at the reality of civil liberties within Mexico, it is visible that freedom of speech is an “inalienable right”, it has been named the most dangerous country for journalists. In 2021, seven journalists were killed and another one disappeared, which has sparked a rise in personal censorship ("Mexico: Freedom in the World 2022 Country Report"). Luis Sánchez was a journalist who was found murdered near the city of Tepic, where he was thought to be killed due to his journalism work. It is extremely important to note that almost 150 journalists have been murdered in Mexico since 2000 (Armstrong).

United Arab Emirates

Shockingly, the UAE does not state any freedoms in the first 10 amendments like Mexico. Instead the first 10 focus on national security from terrorism. Citizens are very repressed within the UAE. The only religions that are free to publically practice their religion are people of the Muslim and Jewish faiths (Judaism is a recent addition) (Freedom House). Overall, UAE citizens are very restricted about what they can say and do; however, the UAE website states that citizens are protected against “torture, arbitrary arrest, and detention, and protects civil liberties, including freedom of speech and press, peaceful assembly and association, and the practice of religious beliefs” (United Arab Emirates). These rights come with many rules and regulations. As stated previously, there are limited religions you can practice, and freedom of speech is very often infringed upon.

Again, this is all “big picture”, but gives good insight and background knowledge for a deeper dive into civil liberties and the impact on the citizenry. Journalism is limited in the UAE with certain “free zones”. Violators of this could be imprisoned for 3-15 years in prison and fined up to 500,000 Dirhams. Freedom of religion is also another right that is infringed upon. The UAE is an Islamic state, which means blasphemy is a crime punishable by more than a year in prison, or a fine ("United Arab Emirates: Freedom in the World 2022 Country Report"; "United Arab Emirates").

Critical Comparative Analysis

Overall, this is arguably the most distinctly different category. Similarly, censorship exists in both countries; however, in Mexico, it is not the government punishing its citizens, it is other citizens. In the UAE the government is indeed punishing its people for speaking freely or reporting on the truth of situations outside of the “free zones”. Mexico also expresses the freedom of expression that the UAE lacks. Mexico, unlike the UAE, doesn’t have a “national religion” meaning, citizens can go out, and condemn any god they feel. Yet, in the UAE that could be punishable by years in prison.