AHC: Mexican Aircraft Carrier...

What it says on the tin. With a POD after 1900, have the Mexicans with an Aircraft Carrier by 2013...

Note, this does not have to be the size of a current US Aircraft Carrier (nobody else in the world iOTL has one), but if you can justify one the size of Thailand's Chakri Naruebet is fine.

(Getting the United States to name an Aircraft Carrier USS Mexico also qualifies)
 
Easy - Mexico isn't torn apart by a violent civil war for a decade (there were several possible ways the revolution could have been avoided or turned into a smaller, shorter conflict more in line with those seen in Colombia or Brazil) and continues to industrialize and modernize. During the Second World War, Mexico joins the Allies for a similar reason as OTL (attacks on Mexican shipping in the Caribbean), and due to having a larger, more modern, and professional military, actually contributes militarily to the Allied war effort in a manner similar to Brazil*. Post-war, Mexico is offered one of the multitude of excess light carriers the Navy was trying to flog off to local allies (Brazil was offered one OTL, but it was rejected due to the high operational costs). For reasons having more to do with national pride than military need, Mexico finds itself the proud operator of a Casablanca-class light carrier, which remains in service until the early 1970s.

*yes, I know about the fighter squadron Mexico sent to the Philippines.
 
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Like what Alamo said. A big factor is just getting Mexico to be more stable earlier on and getting its economy to develop earlier and become stronger.

I can see Mexico fielding a small number of escort carriers in the latter part of WW2. As a closer ally to the US, it could also receive a hand-me-down from the US after the war. Some smaller carriers could also be built after the war and perhaps by 2013 Mexico is looking at getting a Nimitz hand-me-down at some point in the near future.

So basically, hand me down if its going to be a super carrier, home made and built if its a smaller amphibious assault or escort carrier.

Building the economy is the key thing to getting a carrier. "Build it and they will come. Also, aircraft carriers." - George Washington
 
What if we have a US-Mexican War, either botched Pancho Villa raid or idiot Mexican government siding with Germany WWI, wherein Mexico gets trounced? Realizing that having a unstable revolution prone nation along its southern border isn't a great idea...the US opts for an early one nation Marshall Plan and takes no land. Due to basing rights, free trade deal, nation building loans and an earlier wave of immigration the two nations are much more closely tied and Mexico's economy is about 2x OTL.

Like others have said, Mexico's contribution to WWII is much larger and includes assistance in fight the Battle of the Atlantic. Post WWII Mexico is spooked by communist insurgents in South and Central America and joins NATO in 1960. By the early 70s they are the proud operator of a hand me down Midway-class aircraft carrier. Continuing problems in Columbia, Cuba and Venezuela convince the Mexican government to retain some carrier capability and while the Grito de Dolores is a source of great national pride she is extremely expensive to operate. Construction begins on three smaller carriers in the early 1990s based upon a modified Spanish design. By 2013 all three are in operation though only two are every active at one time.

Benjamin
 
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