Hello and welcome to the intelligence on Economist Radio.

I'm your host, Edward McBride, standing in for Jason Palmer.

Every weekday, we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

Economists typically ponder big, naughty problems with no simple solutions, such as working out

why recessions occur. But what if they could give policymakers clear answers to precise questions?

This year's Nobel laureates in economics say that they can.

And caterpillars are not everyone's idea of a tasty meal,

but in Congo they are considered a delicacy and widely sold in markets.

Could these Wrigley treats provide a planet-saving lesson to the rest of the world?

But first.

It's a year since Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, known as Amlo, was inaugurated as president of Mexico.

He won a landslide victory, taking 53% of the vote, and defeating his nearest rival by 30 percentage points.

Voters chose Amlo out of desperation,

having rejected him as president twice before.

They were angered by corruption, violence, and poverty.

Graft was rife, the murder rate the highest on record.

In Amlo, many Mexicans saw a possible savior.

A year on, his approval ratings remain high,

and yet there is little evidence of the reform people had been hoping for.

His supporters believe he has a kind of incorruptibility

or almost infallibility that might resemble some kind of religious leader.

Richard Ensor is the economist Mexico correspondent.

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