Mounce: Letter to by Daughter: Mexican Elections

My Dearest Daughter:

You wrote to me, asking, “why do upper classes in Mexico fear the new Presidenta (Claudia Sheinbaum) so much? This is my reply. . . 

They should not be so fearful. They should be joyful. They were fearful. Fearful the masses who won the election (by a landslide) will turn on them. But, instead, they should be happy. Happy that Mexico has a democracy, had democratic elections (observed by UN and OAS). 

They should be relieved there was such an outlet to express needs and emotions. They should remember the 1910 Mexican Revolution, during which the dictator, Porfirio Diaz, was overthrown, when, indeed, the worldly goods of the upper classes and often, their lands, sometimes, their lives were in peril. 

Some, more intellectual, historical, might recall even the French Revolution. Heads rolled, blood flowed. History changed. Do they, do any want to relive those harrowing days? Keep your riches, press down on the masses even more, you might regret it.

But some, enough (some middle classes, a few intellectuals from the upper classes) and thousands of the poor loved non-violence enough, loved democracy enough, to pour into the streets and fill the urns with 60% of their votes for the Morena party, for the party of the past president, AMLO, and the new President–female, Jewish–Claudia Sheinbaum.

So, pragmatists (progressives?) desired social peace. They supported the party that promised more, gave more (enough? not certain) in terms of higher wages, support for social welfare, for health, benefits for a better standard of living. 

Mexico is on the way up, economically. The “other side,” the majority, has won, for a change. Problems abound (violence, cartels, still lots of inequality), but there has been a groundswell of change. Salud! Felicidades! Viva Mexico!

May the promise released on June 2nd continue for the future. May the US see and understand (and cooperate), enabling those promises to come to pass.

Love, your concerned Father, aficionado, professor, and student of Mexican History and Politics for over 60 years.

Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by UT-Rio Grande Valley Professor Emeritus Dr. Gary Joe Mounce. The column appears in The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service with the permission of the author. Dr. Mounce can be reached by email via: gjmounce@gmail.com.  

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