Ricardo Pascoe Pierce
President López Obrador calls for a large demonstration in the capital’s Zócalo next Saturday, July 1, to be celebrated, recognized, cheered, and loved. Remember the poster that appears in the Italian Western “Los Héroes de Mesa Verde” (C’era una volta la rivoluzione). A poster with the governor’s photograph is placed throughout the town with the phrase: “El Pueblo Ama Al Gobernador. The Governor Loves The People. And in reality, a revolutionary movement is underway to overthrow this “Beloved Governor”.
Why do rulers want to convince the public of the love they receive from the people with commercials? Is it not enough that this bond or affection between the people and the ruler is real? Is it necessary to propagate and publicize the fact because it might not be real?
Certain rulers live in permanent doubt about the veracity, or not, of the affection of their governed. This insecurity may arise from several origins. One is that the ruler faces a society divided and living in conflict. In this case, the doubt is understandable. Another origin is the personal insecurity of the ruler himself and his permanent doubt about affection in general, both personal and political.
A third case is a ruler who came to power with a robust social consensus and seeks its confirmation, having fallen in love with public applause. The last case is because the ruler came to power with strong support, having offered to solve all society’s problems, and failed to fulfill his promise. The lack of results is compensated with intense advertising campaigns and events where it is confirmed: “The people love the president, and the president loves the people”.
The latter is the case of President Lopez Obrador before his event on Saturday, July 1, 2010. President López Obrador has failed in practically all areas of his administration and, therefore, in all his campaign promises. The list is long.
In the area of security, the country has not only failed to make progress but leaves his successor with a gigantic insecurity crisis. The setback is confirmed by the fact that the six-year term will end with twice as many deaths due to drug trafficking as the six-year term of Calderón. He created a National Guard that is a poorly organized, incompetent security force with no corporate identity as an institution.
In the face of this disaster, the President militarizes the country and wants to turn the Armed Forces’ high command into capitalist partners of his political party to avoid alternation in 2024.
He attacks the institutions that demand to fight corruption. There is a widespread perception that corruption is rampant in all corners of his government. Autonomous agencies demand accountability, something that is repellent to the President.
The health system was destroyed with a supposed substitution that failed miserably. Millions of Mexicans lost access to health services. To talk about a health system like Denmark’s is a macabre joke.
Poverty grew, and so did economic inequality. If there is any economic success, it is due to remittances from compatriots living in the United States. And in his foreign policy, the President attacks and insults the only goose that lays the golden eggs of our country: the CUSMA/USMCA/T-MEC.
The educational system went backward with the elimination of full-time schools. Today, Mexican students are worse prepared to face the modern working and professional world.
So bad are the results of this six-year term that the President feels the need to convene an event where thousands will be forced to attend to cheer him on. And all this because the President, knowing his failure, is desperately looking for a bit of love.
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