If you think about it, Mexico is pretty rich in natural and human resources that they could have used some of their own natural resources to significantly improve their military and possibly become a Super power (although I think Mexico would still be behind countries like the US, Russia, and China, they would have been in the same class or ranking as other countries like France, Japan, India and the rest of the top 10). Instead, Mexico's government is too damn corrupt and stupid to take advantage of all their natural resources (with all of the uranium and plutonium they could have used to build nuclear weapons) for that and instead sell them to the US and other countries.
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Do you think Mexico could have had the potential to have a very powerful military that is in the same class as the top 10 countries?
Doubtful. Mexico lacks the infrastructure, is a signatory to the Nuclear Non-proliferation treaty (making the development and deployment of nuclear weapons problematic) and has domestic problems - not just corruption - that mitigate against the development of a powerful military.
This is a case of what theoretically looks possible on paper in no way bearing a resemblance to the actual reality on the ground. This is even before taking into account the reaction of other powers in the region. Mexico is not so powerful that it could not be effectively counterbalanced by other countries in the Hemisphere.
This leaving aside the question of how the U. S. would react. Context matters. If the U. S. suddenly saw a new Cuba on its southern border it would likely act in ways - diplomatic and economic - that would impede Mexican efforts to build a first class military.
On the other hand, if it would be just Canada with a Spanish accent, the reaction might be different. Even then, the U. S. would likely seek to lock in a security structure - treaties and such - that capped Mexican military efforts.
In any case, the issue of Mexico's role in the world was essentially resolved by the Mexican-American War of 1846 to 1848. Mexico was defeated and the costs of continued expansion and military power were deemed - not unreasonably - to outweigh the benefits. A point that was given an exclamation point by the U. S. electric reaction to the Zimmerman Telegram in 1917 - the immediate cause of its entry into World War I.
Besides, it is not clear how Mexico would benefit from being a significant military power. The U. S. has made it clear since the Monroe Doctrine that it is the principle guarantor of the security of the Western Hemisphere. A position solidified by the Rio Pact and the creation of the Organization of American States. (The former - signed in 1947 - actually pre-dates even NATO and was the first piece of the architecture of the American network of alliances during the Cold War.)
With the U. S. securing the hemisphere, Mexico has been free to more or less pursue its national interests without involving itself in larger global issues with which it has no particular concern. To suddenly build up a large military in that context - where another much bigger country is essentially paying your defense bills - really makes no sense.
Add it all up, and Mexico's potential on paper is not its actual reality. The latter matters more.
Well to my understanding, the problem with this is that all the drug cartels originally where military and for what ever reason they defected and started the drug trade.(also part of the reason why they are so effective in maintaining power at the moment). But yeah, if they have the wealth, the resources that is part of what is necessary for a powerful country but the other things are freedom, especially economic freedoms which what drives most inventions and technological development and also what allow the maximizing of resources and trade which itself then further increases development. I'm guessing this is where they failed.
Why would they even want nuclear weapons? They are extremely expensive to maintain, designing and creating platforms to launch them from (except just planes) is also extremely expensive.
They haven't got a need for nukes, why would they want nukes? It'd be better to sign a deal with the USA to be protected under their nuclear umbrella.
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It still does, but it's unlikely. The gang warfare demonstrates their capacity to be effective and violent enforcement. I doubt that it would ever be codified into a unit capable of taking on domestic armies though. Mexicans weren't very good at warring with the Americans, though they did fend off the French and that is the purpose of Cinco De Mayo or the fifth of May being so special to them.
A powerful , Military is expensive, and Mexico doesn't need one to deter ist neighbors, just to Combat the heavily-armed cartels. Military spending also takes Money away from education, infrastructure and Health care.
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