What is Happening in Mexico?

I was quite doubtful about writing something about the current situation in Mexico but, due to the fact that we are now in the eye of the hurricane, and that the biggest nonsense I have read about my country regarding this issue has been coming from foreing opinions and pens, I decided to give my opinion, and some key elements that might help the world to understand why things are the way therey are. I would like to say that I am not willing to impose my view or to say that my truth goes above all, because I would be committing the same mistake that other 'opinion icons' have made with me, by discrediting whatever I say eventhough I am Mexican.

It is obvious that what happened in Guerrero caused national outrage and a lot of condemnation from the internacional community, as well as certain actions such as trade agreement cancellations and even foreign investment withdrawals. These 'sanctions' came from the European Union, where most countries take the issue of human rights quite seriously. 

A friend from Uruguay was asking me about the attitude taken by media and the press, she asked me if we have achieved the point where we regard violence as normal, and the answer is no. Unfortunately, these things have been happening since President Calderón decided to fight the whole drug business, and most of the times, these killings are a consequence of it. Totally opposite to what some 'human rights' groups argue, 60% of the numbers belong to members of criminal groups. The drug business is like the Hydra monster, once you get rid of one head, 50 more come out. Since the last administration we were filled with negative news and headlines, the current administration has taken care of such thing, but that does not mean that such horrible things have stopped happening. 

I would also like to say that those who argue that the Army is responsible of such killings is also a lie, for criminal groups also have a share of this, if you do not believe me, asking people who live in northern Mexico and in places like Michoacán should be a self-sufficient evidence. Activists have been accusing the Army of everything, when actually, they have also suffered the consequences of the war, they also have families, who have suffered terrible losses, but in Mexico discrediting everybody is always the easiest way out. The Army in  many ways, is the only public institution that still keeps a good reputation in general terms. 

Nevertheless, it is not yet clear why these students were killed in such a horrendous way. The 'normalistas' have always been famous for being revolutionary, and they have also caused trouble but, nobody deserves such atrocities. Several theories have come out, and I am not discussing that here until there is some clarity about the issue. The current movements show that Mexicans are now changing, and that in some way, that there is some awareness about what is happening in the country. Totally opposite to what some might believe or to what certain media groups have tried to highlight, rioters are NOT a part of these movements, quite on the opposite, 

The biggest tragedy is that in Mexico power is divided in three big parties, where the biggest and most ancient one is PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional). They governed the country until 2000, when the right wing got into power with PAN (Partido Acción Nacional) with Vicente Fox and continued with President Felipe Calderón in 2006. The other one is PRD, the left wing party (Partido de la Revolución Democrática) and the remanant MORENA (Movimiento de Regeneración Nacional) headed by the former PRD presidential candidate (twice), Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

These three parties have something in common: many of their members move from one to the other, and in the case of the left wing, almost all of the members come from PRI, which make them the same (or even worse). The Mexican left is very particular, because  many of their members are not really congruent with their principles, and the best example is MORENA, which is the group for PRD dissidents. Andrés Manuel is as congruent and as balanced in his aspirations as Hugo Chávez used to be. 

In the case of the right wing, it is not even worth getting into much detail, because having the right governing a country with 40% living in poverty conditions is like a bad joke. During Calderon's government, many people were pushed to poverty and the business sector in general, was allowed to do as it pleased and turned the country into the neoliberal paradise, something that obviously, does nor work for us. 

Mexico has been having remarkable economic growth, but the social price that Mexicans are paying is quite expensive. PRI is a bit of both, because since 1920 it has been putting resources on all relevant groups of the country in order to keep balance and on a broader level, permament dominance, but nowadays this is not possible anymore. Sadly, PRI is the closest representative of what the real Mexico is. 

Governments represent people on a broader sphere, but in our case, any person with an average intelligence would expect that if people change, the government should do too, but as long as parties continue getting loads of money, they will not cease to discredit and put obstacles (by obstacles, I also mean sending people to do a mess to annoy, discredit, destabilise or to justify repression)  to whoever is in power. Logic is simple: one goes up and the other two just spend their efforts in putting obstacles instead of seeking the country's welfare. 

Mexicans had the gut of protesting on the streets for justice, for corruption and impunity to stop, this shows that we all are fed up of being under a 'democracy' where most of us are subject to live under the worst type of dictatorship, which is living under the domain of the ignorant majority. Protesters might not have comprised the whole country, but raising some voices can also help to give a voice to those who areunable to raise theirs for a variety of reasons. The movement was held in total peace, and protesters were always respectful on everything and everyone. 

Mexico is changing, but a real change will come when certain people stop betraying good causes (and by good causes, I also mean the country) by selling themselves to particular interests that seek to discredit and destabilise, (which was the case of rioters), and which has been the case in many different episodes of Mexico's history. Something that many foreigners do not understand, is that Mexico has been tripping with the same stone again, and again and again, due to the attitudes we have towards ourselves and how these attitudes affect the country.

I have come across with people who support the Zapatista Movement, some lefist leaders, the faction of teachers in Oaxaca and who even say that 'Mexico should go to a revolution', to all these people (particularly foreigners), I have a personal plea: First, grab a history book and spend five minutes of your time in reading what happened to us during 1910 and how little influence the outcome had. Secondly, invest some time in researching about the role played by southern provinces such as Michoacán, Guerrero, Oaxaca and Chiapas in Mexico's history and you will find many answers, as well as valuable information. If you are able to understand the role of Mexican people in changing and deciding their own fate, and in not committing the same mistakes, then you will get the main reason why Mexico is the way it is. I (once again) cite a phrase I have put on other entries: 'The world changes with your example, not with your opinion' (Coelho)

Change has to start from within, and if we do not start by respecting ourselves and others, then Mexico will continue being a country of betrayals and betrayers, and a place where self-destruction and mutual discredit are the common rule since Prehispanic times.

Solidarity with Ayotzinapa 'they took them alive, alive we want them back'

(c) La Jornada newspaper

(c) Presencia