In the two papers that explicitly test for economic convergence in Mexico, empirical findings are
mixed. S´anchez-Reaza & Rodr´ıguez-Pose (2002) find that those states closer to the U.S. border
grew faster than others before NAFTA, and there was no significant change in this pattern after
the trade agreement. In this study, Mexico appears to follow a “Core and Periphery” pattern of
economic development during the Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI) period (1930s to 1985).
Regional growth was mainly characterized by convergence and linked (1) to the presence of oil and
raw materials and (2) to proximity to Mexico City. However, during the GATT period (1985-1993),
proximity to Mexico City lost its relevance as a determinant of regional economic growth.