Andrés
Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) is now the ex-mayor (or mayor-in-limbo) of México
(City). The Federal Attorney General's office (the PGR) has filed charges
before a judge. Now, as being formally charged for a crime, the mayor is out
of office unless acquitted. Remember, under Mexican Mickey Mouse law, you are
guilty until you can prove your innocence. The PGR is very happy. They wanted
this so bad that they were trying to get AMLO thrown out of office even before
the formal charges were filed!
After receiving the 18,000 page file (yes, that's correct), the judge
after three days, returned it without action to the PGR. Another typical
bungle by the PGR. The only comment was in reference to the bail process
($181.00 USD) and something about who paid for the bail. Two congressmen from
the PAN paid it, against AMLO's wishes. It would look that the PAN was feeling
very humane by paying the bail. Think again, the last thing they want is to
make AMLO into a jailed martyr. A news flash for the PAN; AMLO is already
regarded by many as just this. In fact, his approval level in the polls is
still rising, well ahead of either the PAN or the PRI (the former ruling
party). And topping this, President Fox is sending signals to resolve this
situation on a "political" basis. Sure, if AMLO would agree to get out of
politics. Get real, Mr. Fox.
Of course, the whole object of this charade, touted as "upholding law and
order", is to prevent AMLO from running for president. Both the PAN and the
PRI are deathly afraid that he might win. Best not to let the people have a
voice in this matter. The process is easy under the Mexican legal system. Just
drag out the trial process and run past 15 January 2006, the limit for filing
for the 06 election, and the whole thing is over.
Let's put this "Law and Order" business behind us and recognize it for
what it is. The Fox administration signed international treaties to prohibit
the use of torture to gain confessions. The administration candidly admits
after a number of years that the use of torture continues and they "can't do
anything about it". Fox requested the UN to come to México and review the
legal and human rights situation here. They did and recommended more than 200
needed changes, ranging from the elimination of torture to respect for human
rights, but most important is to change from the presumption of guilt to the
presumption if innocence (as is in most of the civilized world now). Mr. Fox
proudly announced that everything in the UN report would be abided by. That
was either a lie or bad memory.
On top of this, México
signed the San José Pact that not only promotes the presumption of innocence
but specifically cites that a candidate for office cannot be denied to run for
office when merely charged, but can be denied only after conviction of a crime.
Here again our political elite puts on a happy face by giving lip service to
necessary changes but do nothing. In reality they just ignore the facts and
lie and connive to suit their immediate ends. What a farce!
Now the Fox administration is directing Luis Ernesto Derbez, our Foreign
Relations Secretary, to conduct an international campaign to counter the
widespread criticism of this caper. Obviously, México is feeling heat from
this mess, both at home and abroad.
There is a dark side to this. While México has one of the world's most
honest election laws with an autonomous federal election institute (the IFE),
the legal and political reforms badly needed by México never got off the
ground with the Fox administration. And we should point out that the creation
of the IFE came from the Zedillo administration who was the first president in
memory who did not use the dedazo
(chosen successor by pointing finger) to select the next president. He felt
that the people should have that choice, unlike Fox now. And it is that
provision that got Fox into office as a "reform" president who, unfortunately,
has made few reforms. Here, Fox represents a giant step back in history.
The problem is that México still has a large (and getting larger) sector
of the population who simply want political and economic change. Any country
of 110 million, who "exports" several million people a year who simply want to
make a decent living does, indeed, have a serious problem. And if anything
impedes that flow, national instability will quickly result.
Too bad that our political class doesn't see the handwriting on the wall.
And, they are supported in their ignorance by many of the business class who
never understood the need for a true national market. (You build a national
market by letting the workers make enough money to spend as Henry Ford did.
And as I remember, he died a very rich man.)
Inadvertently, by its actions in the AMLO case, the PAN and the PRI are
creating by de facto either
our next president or long ranging political instability in México. Maybe they
should look around a bit. Count up the countries in recent world history that
have undergone "pots and pans" revolutions that overthrew elected governments
who, in the people's opinion, did not respect their wants or needs. Uruguay is
just the latest example proceeded by many others, especially in Latin America.
Remember Argentina with seven pots and pans presidents in one year?
The danger is that by going around democratic elective processes, you
have no idea of what may come. Most recently look at Venezuela, and we can go
back to Germany in the 1930s and Russia in 1917. Is this what our political
"elite" really wants? Fortunately, most of these recent pots and pans
"revolutions" have been relatively civilized without widespread bloodshed. But
then again, you never know what might happen. Revolutions are a wheel of
fortune.
Be careful of what you wish for, you might get it.
_______________________________________________
Richard N. Baldwin T., a HispanicVista.com (http://www.hispanicvista.com/)
contributing columnist, lives in Tlalnepantla, Edo de México. E-mail at:R1041643422@aol.com
By
Richard N. Baldwin T. /HispanicVista.com