A new bill was approved last week to create a new independent agency to promote development for Mexico’s indigenous population of 10 million. The bill is being hailed by some as a positive step, after a constitutional amendment in 2001 that was heavily criticized for limiting the autonomy of Mexico’s 62 Indian groups. This law will transform the National Indigenous Institute to its new incarnation, the National Commission for the Development of Indigenous Peoples. The new body will be a quasi-governmental agency focusing on economic development, is designed to involve more input from Indian groups. The new bill must still be signed by President Vicente Fox before taking effect.
