Federico Reyes Heroles
To Norma Mereles, for her kind firmness.
Is national pride something desirable? Of course, not so the dangerous nationalisms that invent identities and hatreds. But that healthy pride must be based on facts. That is a big difference.
On the corner of a park in Helsinki is a monument to Jean Sibelius. It is a colossal head of the great and tormented composer. An unstoppable stream of citizens come to lay bouquets of flowers, and surely his third or fifth symphony, perhaps Finlandia or his violin concerto, resonates in their brains. The embodiment of pride can be conflicting. Chopin: Poles and French claim him. Born near Warsaw, in what would become Poland, initially raised in that city, he moved to France at age 20. That country would provide him with the necessary environment for his splendor. His long relationship with George Sand would take him to countless salons. He did not like auditoriums. Already very ill, he would go to Majorca for a year, a period that turned out to be one of the most productive of his life. In Spain, where he spent each day, the origin of the pianos he used is discussed.
The word Tesla today refers to the spearhead of the automotive industry, but behind it is the story of a Serb born in Croatia whose exceptional mind gave humankind alternating current. He developed it in the United States; he adopted that nationality. The origin of beverages is also a source of national pride; French wines, Scottish and Irish, and now Japanese whiskeys are the subject of discussions. The arts, sciences, gastronomy, and inventiveness in general are sources of national pride. Still, the term “nation” refers to a unity that, to a large extent, belongs to the collective imagination. Past, traditions and common languages, but in function of uniting. Pride will be alive if we feed it with new elements that have universal substance. That is what is desirable.
In Mexico, we have a lot to foster it with. The problem is that we almost always invoke the past, and the more remote it is, the less discussion there is. Nobody discusses Olmec’s greatness. As we approach the present, the issue becomes thorny. We have been unable to digest Columbus and what to say about Cortes. Mestizaje -from which our identity as a nation was so nourished- received a slap in the face when the President demanded the King of Spain and Pope Francis to ask for an apology to Mexico -to the original peoples- for the excesses committed during the Conquest. Using history to gain popularity, even by injecting hatred, does not foster understanding. We have also specialized in outlandish activities such as making the world’s largest enchilada or selling tacos by the hour.
The Olympic Games are perhaps the healthiest way to encourage that pride. In any country, rich or poor, you can find an exceptional athlete. However, the Olympic Games goes beyond that; it is precisely about promoting the institutional and constant development of particular disciplines in each nation. Kenya, an impoverished country with around 10 million inhabitants, has won 113 medals in the Summer Games—zero in winter. Eliud Kipchoge has won all but one of the marathons in which he has participated. In Paris, he retired as a prince. Olympic Games inspire self-improvement, new goals, care, and knowledge of the body, and motivate the young and not-so-young. They are a desirable pride. Mexico – 130 million – has won a total of 78 medals. There are fantastic individual stories in the list: from Joaquín Capilla in diving to boxing or equestrian competitions, or Felipe Muñoz, José Pedraza or Ernesto Canto, and many more. Good for those who return triumphant in 2024, despite… Other stars in the singular.
The 4T broom did not even reach the National Sports Commission. Its showcase is full of corruption. Its director will be remembered for her arrogance, vulgarity, and contempt for others. It was to motivate whom?
She was an example; today, she is a disgrace.
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