Many countries around the world tend to view their geopolitical destiny in relation to their geographical coordinates. This is particularly true with regard to the factor of proximity—that is, who a country happens to have as a neighbor.
Two such countries in which the issue of proximity plays a decisive role in the popular narrative are Greece and Mexico.
In the Greek narrative, the proximity to Turkey is viewed by many as an unambiguously negative factor and a source of problems. Furthermore, according to the prevailing view, this proximity is the cause of Greece’s enormous military expenditures.
If such a neighbor did not exist, it is argued, these military expenditures would undoubtedly have been allocated to improving the ailing systems of education, health, security, and so on. However, since fate has condemned us to be neighbors with Turkey, military vigilance—with all that this entails in terms of spending—will be necessary. This is, after all, why there is no political debate in Greece on this issue.
The issue of neighborly relations is also a theme of paramount importance in the Mexican narrative regarding their country’s destiny.Here, too, we are dealing with the long-standing presence of a powerful neighbor which, according to popular narrative, covets and undermines the country’s national independence. Except that in this case, it is not Turkey, but the United States.
Thus, among the 120 million Mexicans who make up the country’s population, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t recognize and embrace the saying:
“Poor Mexico! So far from God and so close to the United States!” (“¡Pobre México! Tan lejos de Dios y tan cerca de los Estados Unidos”)
This phrase is attributed to the “strongman” Porfirio Díaz, who ruled the country for 30 years. It paints a picture of a Mexico left to fend for itself, without even God’s help, as it faces the rising superpower of the gringos—and loses.
So, Greece and Mexico. Two countries whose inhabitants believe that their nations’ destinies are inextricably linked to the presence of a powerful neighbor with whom they have a rivalry.
But there is a fundamental difference.
While Greece, since its establishment as a state, has (almost) continuously expanded its territory by annexing lands from the Ottoman Empire, Mexico, on the other hand, has continually lost territory to the United States. Thus, it is estimated that in the 19th century, Mexico lost 55% of its territory, which came under U.S. sovereignty. This began with the annexation of Texas by the United States in 1845.
Subsequently, following military conflicts, Mexico was forced to cede 515,000 square miles to the United States—territory that today comprises the states of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado.
So those who believe that sharing a border with Turkey is the greatest misfortune fate has in store for Greece might want to reconsider. Because, at least when considering annexed territories, sharing a border with the gringos seems to be a far more traumatic reality.