On September 16, 1810 at daylight, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla rang the church bells in the city of Dolores, Mexico to “summon the people from the countryside” [Fire & Blood by T. R. Ferenbach] in revolt against the Spanish government.

September 16 is now Mexico’s Independence Day.

That makes Mexico a Virgo. At sunrise, the sun is in the 1^st house giving Mexico a Virgo rising as well.

It seems odd that the family-oriented, fun-loving Mexicans are ruled by the pristine earth sign Virgo. What’s more, Mexico’s moon is in earth sign Taurus.

On second thought, maybe it makes sense.

To Americans, Mexico is a poor neighbor that forces throngs of people to risk their lives crossing our border to find work.

Work. Now that’s in the realm of Virgo. I smell something here.

While the numbers vary, it’s estimated that undocumented Mexicans in the US send $25 billion back home. That’s quite a chunk of change added to the Mexican economy.

Mexico’s natural resources, according to Answers.com include:

• Oil
• Gas
• Silver
• Bismuth
• Celestite
• Fluorspar
• Fishing
• Forestry

Mexico also happens to have a robust tourist industry that includes mountains, beaches and extensive Aztec, Mayan and Toltec ruins.

Mexico has it all.

So how did this country become so poor?

If you get past the television images and travel past the border, there is a Mexico that is very different than the image of the poor campesino you see on TV. There is great wealth in Mexico.

My political view is that Mexico’s economic problems are class problems. Mexico is a country with abundant resources. It’s class that has separated people from the wealth.

Both the bulimic and anorexic think obsessively about food.  I think Mexico may be doing the same about money. A great focus on earthly, material goods has made an anorexic of a country filled with plenty.

Those Mexicans that go abroad often work in service industries (ala Virgo) and work very, very hard. These people didn’t change by crossing the border; they would work hard in their own country, I assume, if the opportunities were available.

Mexico’s Virgo sun is opposed by Pluto in Pisces. Neptune is transiting Pisces right now and in the next few years Mexico may be having more struggles with work and health issues.

Pluto is currently transiting Capricorn which creates a grand earth trine for Mexico. If I came from outer space (as an astrologer) and didn’t know anything about Mexico, I would say, “Great times of material comfort.”

Maybe Pluto will transform Mexico’s economic system as it is doing to economies around the world. Maybe Mexico will look in the mirror and realize that abundance is within.