Mexico's 1810-1821 war for independence from Spain became a civil rights crusade. Of the 3 military heroes to have states named after them, Hidalgo, Morelos & Guerrero, the latter two were African-Indian. Demands of total racial equality, full civil rights under law and an end to slavery rang in most all the major decrees of the 1810-1821 freedom fighters.
AfroMexico, then 10.2% of the population (by Spanish census) flocked to this struggle and by 1820 comprised most of its leadership and troops.
http://www.mdcbowen.org/p2/sf/faq035.htm
I am watching democracy now broadcast on this issue as i am typing. the key here is that since the mexican revolution the us had worked to undermine mexico's independence and this arizona legislation is only about leveraging us political and military hegemony over mexico and the sanctions are designed to force mexico to open up their petroleum market to us financial interests.
The irony here is the fact that slavery was abolished in mexico long before the us civil war and emancipation proclamation, and much of the afro-mexican population was centered at vera cruz. this included many black folks who migrated from havana and new orleans, and they chose a location rich in oil reserves, as blacks at this time controlled, yes controlled, shiping industry in caribbean prior to the spanish conquest. van sertima speaks to this presence without going into detail of exactly the extent of their trading networks.
since as the articles state, the MAJORIY of the mexican leadership and troops up until 1820 was afro-mexican, there has been since this era an attempt (campaign) to keep black folks in us ignorant concerning the large presence of afro-mexicans in the heartland of mexico.
i been down this road before and am just adding perspective but won't debate on this issue...
it is what it is...another attack on the civil liberties of non-white people.