Ricardo Pascoe Pierce
Socrates was sentenced to death for “not recognizing the gods of the city.” He was a relentless critic of the actions and conduct of the rulers in power. His death raised a question that remains relevant today: to what extent should citizens lose their freedom in order to subordinate themselves to the state?
Socrates’ question remains relevant because supporters of the 4T regime are advocating for the urgent establishment of a special court, attached to the judiciary, to punish journalists who, in their opinion, lie with their criticism of the government, both in words and in writing.
They claim, scandalized, that journalists criticize the 4T government with statements that are blatant lies, such as accusing the regime of being a “narco-government.” They are surely also outraged by the allegations of corruption among the ranks of Morena’s leaders and officials, such as those concerning the former president’s children, relatives, leaders of the Union Congress, and cabinet members.
The world recognizes not only the existence and activity of drug trafficking organizations, but also their origins in countries such as ours. Multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and the International Criminal Court have investigated and confirmed that drug trafficking has a military and economic force that places it above municipal and state governments in Mexico. It is an irregular and illegal armed force that occupies large swaths of the national territory and has the capacity to confront federal law enforcement agencies with modern warfare tactics, such as the use of armed drones, Barrett .50 caliber rifles, and other high-powered weapons.
The corrupting power of drug trafficking is also universally recognized. Guillermo Valdés described it perfectly in his book “The History of Drug Trafficking in Mexico.” And ‘Mayo’ Zambada confirmed it in his statements before the New York Court when he said: “For 50 years, I have paid bribes to police, military, and politicians in Mexico…” In the context of these statements, which implicate all governments “for 50 years,” corruption is alive and well today. The president took Zambada’s statement at face value and once again accused President Calderón of covering up drug trafficking.
From there, it is not only logical but obvious and necessary to conclude that there is drug trafficking corruption in the ranks of the 4T. How do you explain all the watches, cars, and houses? The vacations are a mere incident, caused by the ideological confusion of the movement’s supposed ideologues. What is relevant is what is before everyone’s eyes—recalling a letter from “Mayo Zambada,” who claimed that the governor of Sinaloa is a strategic ally of the Sinaloa Cartel. Zambada said it, not me. And just as Zambada is believed on one claim, so too must he be considered on the other.
The business of huachicol (fuel theft) of oil, gas, and also water, simply cannot happen without large-scale corruption, as Zambada instructs us, “among police, military, and politicians.” And so, we can go on ad infinitum about businesses violated by protection rackets and extortion.
Talking about all this, and more, is the task and obligation of a free press.
The fact that the press fulfills its professional obligation to investigate, expose, and criticize irritates and annoys those in power. Hence, their paid pens and cheerleaders want to curtail the press’s right to criticize the 4T government. They want a press that follows orders, a press that repeats the discourse and narratives of political power. The new jurisprudence would classify criticism as a lie and, therefore, punishable by law.
Faced with the impossibility of cover-ups, the regime is trying out methods to “democratically” silence criticism. Judges have already done the regime’s bidding, threatening, punishing, and silencing citizens and journalists, and seeking the impeachment of politicians who criticize the regime. This is a path already taken by the 4T. So far, they have turned issues such as “aggression or gender violence” into weapons of mass destruction against criticism of the regime, which they now legally classify as lies. Criticizing a bad ruler is considered “gender violence.” It fits like a glove for those in power to silence criticism of poor management and even to cover up corruption.
The Morenista’s intention to create a “court to judge criticism,” linked to the new judiciary, aims to silence the analytical and critical voices of the press, rendering criticism a lie in the eyes of the law. It wants to eradicate, once and for all, freedom of expression not only of the press but of all citizens in Mexico. Socrates would say that crushing freedom of criticism is killing the Republic.
@rpascoep
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