Federico Reyes Heroles
To exist is not enough. The human being grows in coexistence. Deep down, those who cannot coexist are very poor, miserable of soul, for Victor Hugo. February 5, 2024, will be remembered as a monument to the inability to coexist.
To coexist, to begin with, with our history, because in Querétaro, those who were capable of putting a national project before their personal differences convened. But coexistence began earlier, with Carranza’s call for a great national meeting on October 1, 1914, at the Morelos Theater in Aguascalientes. Villistas, Carrancistas, and, later, Zapatistas brought to life the coexistence of the Revolutionary Convention or the Convention of Aguascalientes. Erected as sovereign, the Convention demanded distance from the caudillos; it would break with Carranza to the latter’s fury. It would designate Eulalio Gutiérrez as its first president and thus give way to a fantastic and delirious discussion on national affairs that would last two years. The break with Carranza did not prevent many of the postulates of that chaotic -and not so chaotic- itinerant meeting from being incorporated into Carranza’s Constitutional project. Agrarian rights, family rights, children’s rights, and many more. From there emerged the ideas of promoting economic, social, and political reforms aired during the long years of the confrontation of ideals.
The Convention was a political failure but also a brilliant parade of ideas comparable to the French Convention. Illiterate men seated next to jurists of the stature of Luis Cabrera or Félix Palavicini in the conservative wing, close to Carranza, or Múgica, Jara, who promoted Articles 27 and 123. Or Gildardo Magaña, voice of Zapatismo. A difficult coexistence that became a fundamental wellspring of truly progressive ideas. Thus, two years later, in September 1916, the victors, guided by Carranza’s vision of the state, could convene the Constituent Assembly. But the hallmark for Mexico was already set: to coexist.
This is commemorated on February 5 by the three branches of government; the birth of the first social Constitution of the 20th century -before Weimar- resulted from a supreme act of civility: coexistence. That Constitution -of a flexible type- has accommodated around 700 modifications; it is a true exception in Central and South America. Yesterday was the antipode of coexistence. A single man -turned into a decadent messiah- knowing he lacks the necessary majorities, pretends to destroy inheritances he cannot digest. Party members of Congress, the first step towards proportionality, date back to the early 60s and were promoted by the PAN. Proportional representation, which gave way to the plurality that the country deserved and needed, came from the Political Reform 1977. The right to information was also included in our Constitution that same year. Fox, -25 years later- promoted the regulations that gave life to the National Institute of Access to Information (IFAI -today INAI)- and the mandate for creating state institutes. It was an expansion of citizens’ rights. Zedillo promoted the reform of the judicial power that gave life to a new stage of that institution. Salinas promoted the autonomy of the Central Bank (Banxico) and created, supported by Jorge Carpizo, the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH). In June 2011, under Calderón, a significant human rights reform was enacted, and the opposition agreed with it. Peña Nieto agreed on eleven structural reforms for the birth of his government, including the Federal Law of Economic Competition that gave life to the Commission of the same name (COFECE). It was a requirement of the global economy. Coexistence is very fruitful.
Yesterday, out of desperation of an individual -who knows he is the first President without a solid institutional inheritance- it was decided to organize a circus performance with him in the three rings: President, candidate, and leader of Morena. His inability to coexist with the plural Mexico castrates him. He goes alone.
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