Well, yes, but that explains other phenomena that lead to this. Mexico has had a lot of state blunders in the past 150 years that have led to it being behind the US, and the US got there first. Once someone gets there, they necessarily have to try to prevent someone else from doing so. Mexico could've, but they made a lot of mistakes along the way that set them behind. Lawlessness is a symptom of these blunders.