Subnational Democracy? Democratization and the Exercise of Indigenous Rights in Nuevo León

This article analyzes why constitutionally recognized Indigenous rights fail to result in genuine political inclusion at the subnational level. Focusing on Nuevo León, Mexico, it analyzes how political liberalization, Indigenous mobilization, democratization, and state capacity interact with persistent illiberal structures and practices to shape the implementation of Indigenous rights. Even with advances such as increased electoral competition, executive and legislative turnover, constitutional reforms, Indigenous consultation processes, and affirmative action policies—stemming from the liberalization and democratization process—illiberal practices and institutional weaknesses continue to limit Indigenous peoples’ participation in decision‐making. This study shows two key mechanisms supporting this implementation gap: (a) partisan clientelism, which incorporates the Indigenous communities without producing substantive representation, and (b) concentrated state planning institutions that undermine participatory processes and reduce Indigenous rights to a procedural formality. This article contributes to subnational democratization studies by shifting attention to the organization and performance of the state, arguing that democratic quality should also be assessed through the capacity of state institutions to translate formally recognized rights into substantive political inclusion.