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Why should AMLO be worried about Morena’s next party leader?
Associated Press/Bloomberg
Above: The top contenders to lead Morena, Porfirio Muñoz Ledo (left) and Mario Delgado (right)… Porfirio is definitely not into hugging the enemy. © EFE
What happened? Morena, the party founded by AMLO in 2014, is selecting a new national party leader. Instead of doing a conventional election, Morena opted to select its party leader through three polls - ‘supporters’ or official Morena members. However, the electoral authorities declared the result a tie between the two leading candidates: Porfirio Muñoz Ledo (who has been critical of AMLO) and Morena’s lower house leader Mario Delgado (who has not been critical of AMLO at all).
Some more context This isn’t a simple feud between two politicians, but rather one of many signs of a potential rupture inside the party. Remember that the 6 year old party was founded by AMLO, after he abandoned the PRD, the leftist party that backed his unsuccessful runs for the presidency in 2006 and 2012 - PRD got a mediocre 4% in the latest federal elections.
Later, in the 2018 elections, AMLO transformed Morena into a truly catch-all party, forming alliances with a wide variety of ideologies, from the socialist Partido del Trabajo (PT) to the far-right Encuentro Social (PES)… yes! It’s a hot mess. He was able to get over 50% of the votes in the presidential race, along with a majority in Congress; however, the divergent ideological views and the ultimate dilemma of pragmatism vs. ideology has caused politicians to speak out publicly against AMLO (unusual for Mexican political parties) and even abandon the party.
Why is this relevant? With the midterm elections coming up in June 2021, parties will start selecting candidates. In the short-term, the results of Morena’s internal polling election will decide which politicians and factions remain in power - and might push others to leave Morena. In the long run, we will also see if Morena keeps being a loyal ally to the President or if it starts to deviate from him - which could happen if Muñoz Ledo wins. With the opposition parties decimated, AMLO’s biggest challenge is his own party.
What’s next? Mexico’s electoral authority (INE) will produce a new round of polls between October 16 and October 22 to decide Morena’s next leader…
🌿 Who will benefit from the biggest legal marijuana market in the world? Yes, we are talking about Mexico.
Lawmakers are expected to pass pot legislation at the 11th hour. Morena Senate leader, Ricardo Monreal, expects that a bill allowing private companies to sell marijuana will pass in the Senate within two weeks - the lower House will have to vote on it too. However, based on a preliminary draft, activists and experts are worried that big businesses will be favored, excluding small producers. The law would also require a licence for anyone who wants to consume, potentially creating "an elite gourmet market" for upper-class users. If Congress fails to pass a law before December 15th, the Supreme Court could strike the current prohibitions from the law. Los Angeles Times
Above: A marijuana garden outside the Mexican Senate. Visitors can spend 30 minutes roaming and smoking. © Kate Linthicum / Los Angeles Times
⛪AMLO sends his wife on an European tour to demand apologies and Mexican artifacts
Beatriz Gutierrez, Mexico’s “First Lady” (she refuses to use the title) asked the Austrian government to loan Mexico a precious Aztec-era penacho (headdress). A representative for Vienna’s Museum of Ethnology, responded that it is too fragile to transport it. In the Vatican, Gutierrez asked for an apology for the Catholic church's role in the oppression of indigenous people in the Spanish conquest 500 years ago. A response has yet to come from the Pope, who actually apologised five years ago to Bolivia over the church’s role during the colonial era. Reuters
⚕️ Mexico aims to vaccinate over 100 million people against covid-19 throughout 2021
On Tuesday Morning, AMLO scored massive points when he announced agreements with three different companies to buy covid-19 vaccines. The first set of dosis are expected to arrive this December from China, but obstacles may arise. According to a poll published this week 25% of Mexicans would not be willing to take the vaccine. Reuters/The Wall Street Journal
⛵️ Mexico City removes Columbus statue ahead of annual protest
On Oct 12th, Columbus day in the US, Mexicans celebrate indigenous cultures and diversity with reflection, protests, and marches. This year the government coincidentally decided to remove the Columbus statue on Reforma for “restoration”. It is clear that they wanted to avoid vandalism, but it could also signal the beginning of a national debate about the statue. PAN has accused the government of trying to “change history” and demanded that it be put back. Al Jazeera (video)
🌎 Climate change rockstar and nobel laureate dies. Dr. Mario Molina’s work on how chemicals in hair sprays affect the ozone layer, pushed for an international ban on their use. “The world is a better place because of Mario” - Al Gore. The New York Times/ The Guardian
🇺🇸 Mexico identifies two women who may have received non-consensual surgeries in ICE detention. Mexico’s consulate in Atlanta is exploring a possible class action lawsuit to address the massive human right violation. CNN
🧀 Authorities seize cheese from producers over labeling violations. Seize that cheese! Turns out the government is dead serious about labeling violations. Associated Press
🤔 Is a Biden presidency necessarily better for Mexico?
If you didn’t understand this post at all, don’t worry, you are not alone. The (very white) guy in the picture is Mexican film director Michel Franco, whose new film “Nueva Orden” is causing quite the stir. If you haven’t seen the trailer, watch it right now! Ahora, not ahorita. The film starts with a high society wedding being interrupted by a group of lower class citizens who start a massive uprising against social injustices. Even though the movie probably intended to be the Mexican version of the Oscar-winning Parasite from South Korea, it seems to be a zombie style action-thriller about the heroic survival of the elite from the non-white lower class.
Following the negative comments towards Franco he stated that the term Whitexican (white+Mexican) is classist…
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AMLO’s quote: “Nexos’ fine is not censorship, it is a bargain given of their income”
Some context: AMLO was referring to the fine his government gave Nexos magazine for having used a fake invoice. The magazine owner, Héctor Aguilar Camín, who is a strong critic of the President, has denounced the fine as a way of censorship.