?Viva Mexico: Mexican teens talk about life, politics, and their love of home.

Ricardo Parra, 13, and his sister Michel, 14, live in Mexico's capital, Mexico City. They share a large, sprawling house with their parents and several aunts, uncles, and cousins.

Music plays on various radios tucked into the small bedrooms. Here, a political debate is always in progress. The family's two dogs bark as if they want to join in.

In the Parra home and across Mexico, one of the hottest debate topics is the July 2 presidential election--and what happened afterward. Of the 41 million votes cast, fewer than 240,000 separated the winner from his rival. The rival refused to accept the results. He called for a protest that blocked traffic and disrupted business for weeks.

Ricardo and Michel are as interested as the adults in the political discussions. They know that earning enough money to support a family is hard for many Mexicans to do.

That is what drove their parents to migrate to Florida, where Ricardo was born. The Parras returned home because they missed their families. But while living in the U.S., they earned enough money to start their own taxi company in Mexico City.

In the presidential race, Ricardo, Michel, and their parents supported the losing candidate, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of the liberal party.

The teens' mother, Alma, remembers what it was like to be poor. She says that when Lopez Obrador was Mayor of Mexico City, he tried hard to improve people's lives. As President, she believes, he would have created jobs, built hospitals, and fixed roads badly in need of repair. He also promised to make higher education less expensive.

The Black Market

Mexico's economy is growing. Still, it is not strong enough to provide jobs for everyone. About 40 million Mexicans live in poverty. The lack of jobs prompts an estimated 300,000 Mexicans a year to illegally enter the U.S. In a recent survey by the Pew Hispanic Center, more than 40 percent of Mexicans said they would like to move to the U.S.

Many young Mexicans feel that they have few choices. The law requires them to attend school through eighth grade. After that, they can work fulltime, and many do. Each year, about a million Mexican teens leave school to help support their families.

The problem is not limited to teens. According to a recent government study, at least 5 million kids under the age of 14 are working illegally.

Many kids end up working in the black market. They sell everything from chewing gum and umbrellas to pirated DVDs and CDs. Some take low-paying jobs on farms or in factories. Others go north, into the U.S.

"I don't want to leave," says Ricardo, a tall seventh-grader, when asked about seeking opportunities in the U.S. "This is my home. My friends are here, and my family is here. This is why I am so interested in [who becomes] the next President. That man will have to deliver on his promises."

Ricardo doesn't want to drive taxis like his father. He wants to become an electrical engineer. Michel, who is in the eighth grade, hopes to become a hair stylist, like their grandfather.

"You Can Make It Here"

Mariana Escobar, 13, also lives in Mexico City. Both her parents are accountants, a bit better off than the Parras. Mariana, who is in the seventh grade, shares a small apartment with her parents and grandparents.

Mariana's father may consider working in the U.S. someday--as a legal guest worker. (President George W. Bush has proposed changing U.S. laws to establish a guest-worker program.) For now, though, the Escobars see the U.S. just as a place to visit. "I'd like to go to Disney World," says Mariana. "But I am a Mexican, and I believe that if you try, you can make it here."

Besides, going north would mean leaving her friends and close-knit family behind. Mariana likes spending time with her mother, shopping or swapping clothes. She also enjoys hanging out with friends in the main square of her neighborhood, Coyoacan. Spanish priests and Indian slaves built the square in the 1600s.

Mariana likes to listen to music there--everything from mariachi to hard rock. There is always something to eat: corn on the cob roasted with chili peppers and sprinkled with cheese, and dishes like squash-flower soup or fried worms. Vendors line the square, selling Indian crafts and jewelry.

Like Ricardo and Michel, Mariana was riveted by the presidential election. But she supported the winning candidate, Felipe Calderon of the conservative party. "To me, Calderon's speeches were more than just promises," she says.

Mariana's parents agree with Calderon that international trade and helping Mexican companies grow are the best ways to create jobs.

A Matter of Dispute

Calderon was declared President-elect in July. But Lopez Obrador accused Calderon's party of stuffing ballot boxes and said that his own votes had been undercounted. In protest, he urged his supporters to camp out on Mexico City's central square. Thousands of tents went up, throwing the city into turmoil. Lopez Obrador vowed that the protest would not stop until all ballots were recounted.

On September 5, a seven-member electoral court declared Calderon the official winner after a partial recount. Lopez Obrador still refused to admit defeat, and promised more protests.

"A Lot of Work to Do"

Calderon is scheduled to take office on December 1. When he does, all eyes in Mexico will be on him.

Michel is already thinking ahead to the next election, when she will be old enough to vote. "I will look at how the candidates behave, [and] how they stand on important matters like jobs," she tells JS. "Then I'll decide."

Mariana says that she will do the same. Meanwhile, she has high hopes for Calderon's presidency.

Ricardo, while disappointed, fears that disagreement over the election could hurt Mexicans. "I'm sure the world is looking to see how we behave," he says. "In a democracy, people win and lose. We have to accept that. There is a lot of work to do in this country. We need to do it together as Mexicans, not as political rivals."

Words to Know

* black market: illegal trade in goods in violation of official restrictions.

* migrate: move from one country or region to another to settle there.

Ricardo Sandoval in Mexico City

Web Watch: Mexico for Kids elbarelo.gob.mx/index_kids.html

Think About It

1. What kinds of jobs do many young Mexicans have? Why do many leave school to work?

2. Why were Ricardo, Michel, and Mariana so interested in the recent presidential election?

QUICK QUIZ 

** Write the letter of the correct answer on the line
before each question.

11. Who came a close second in Mexico's recent
presidential election?

A. Felipe Calderon   C. Vicente Fox
B. Mariana Escobar   D. Andres Manuel Lopez
                        Obrador

12. People upset at Mexico's election results did
what in protest?

A. migrated to Florida   C. set up a tent city
B. burned government     D. stuffed ballot boxes
buildings

13. Which term is used to describe illegal trade in
restricted goods?

A. black market    C. open market
B. closed market   D. stock market

14. Who was the conservative party candidate for
President in the election?

A. Felipe Calderon   C. Vicente Fox
B. Mariana Escobar   D. Andres Manuel Lopez
                        Obrador

15. Which office did the liberal party formerly hold?

A. corporate executive    C. Mayor of Mexico City
B. Governor of Mexico's   D. Vice President of
largest state                Mexico

ANSWERS

11. D

12. C

13. A

14. A

15. E