Mexico: In the Shadow Of Its Powerful Neighbor. The Mexican dictator Porfirio Díaz (1830–1915) once said: “Pobre México, tan lejos de Dios y tan cerca de Estados Unidos” – which in English means: Poor Mexico, so far from God and so close to the United States. Its geographical proximity to the US has not only shaped Mexico’s history, but also played a key role in defining the future development of the country’s economy. Commissioned by Credit Suisse.