Debilidad institucional y atención al desplazamiento forzado en México: El caso de Chiapas

In recent years, several regions in Mexico are confronting a humanitarian crisis produced by rising numbers of internally displaced people. Some subnational governments have approved innovative legislation on internal displacement due to a lack of regulation at a national level, expecting to provide a solution to such a critical problem. In this article, we analyze the legislation approved in Chiapas. We draw on institutional strength theory to argue that the political process in Chiapas delivered a weak, “aspirational” institution. Far from creating substantive change on this matter, it has only generated assistance-driven actions. This research shows that, despite remarkable legislation, governmental assistance to internally displaced people is still hindered by diverging political interests and weak state capacity.