Business: Poza Rica

With a daily average output of 123,800 bbl. this year, Mexico ranks as the world's seventh largest oil-producing nation.* Oil is Mexico's fourth-largest industry but it is almost entirely controlled by foreign firms, which currently have a $450,000,000 investment in it. This has long rankled nationalistic Mexicans, who not only covet the foreign-held oil fields but see justification in Mexico's taking them, since a Mexican legal principle from the time when the country was a Spanish colony until 1857 held that the Government owned all subsoil rights. From 1884 until 1917, however,...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!