On Saturday March 18, in a fiery speech on the Zocalo Zocalo under the windows of the Mexican presidency, President Manuel Andres Lopez Obrador galvanized the crowd with very nationalistic accents.
” Cooperation, yes, submission, no “Launched AMLO in front of tens of thousands of supporters by denouncing” some legislators Republicans from the United States who talk about sending the American army to Mexico against the cartels. ” Mexico is an independent and free country and not a colony or a protectorate of the United States “, he hammered in front of the human tide which filled the immense emblematic place of the Zocalo under the windows of the presidency, reports Agence France presse.
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Words reminiscent of those held by AMLO in November 2019after his American counterpart Donald Trump declares the United States ready to rid Mexico of the cartels.
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Officially, the gathering had been called by Mr. Lopez Obrador to celebrate the 85th anniversary of the nationalization of the oil industry decreed by President Lazaro Cardenas, on March 18, 1938. We must reaffirm our independence, our sovereignty, remember this historic decision.AMLO had declared earlier in the week, referring to the expropriation of 17 foreign companies decreed on March 18, 1938 by his predecessor Lazaro Cardenas, also known for having granted asylum to Trotsky (assassinated in 1940 in Mexico City by an agent of Stalin) and to Spanish Republicans fleeing Francoism.
In a long historical account, Mr. Lopez Obrador accused the Mexican right-wing PAN party of being born “ by criticizing the oil expropriation which made it possible to nationalize the industry. ” Whatever they do, the oligarchs will not return to power “, he launched, defending his policy (increase in the average salary, strength of the peso…) as he approaches the end of his single six-year mandate in 2024.
In pre-campaign for 2024
This meeting with his constituents is part of AMLO’s pre-campaign for the next general elections in 2024 and three weeks after an opposition demonstration against his electoral reform (aiming to reduce the size and budget of the electoral body) approved by Parliament. An opposition demonstration openly supported by the US State Department.
The reform threatens the independence of the National Electoral Institute (INE) in charge of organizing the elections according to the opposition and part of civil society, who have announced appeals to the Supreme Court. According to Washington, it puts “to the test the independence of electoral and judicial institutions”.
In México there is a great debate on reformas electorales que ponen a prueba la independence de instituciones electorales y judiciales. EEUU apoya independent electoral institutions that tienen recursos para fortalecer procesos democráticos y estado de derecho.
— Brian A. Nichols (@WHAAsstSecty) February 27, 2023
AMLO must leave power at the end of its unique six-year mandate provided for by the Constitution. But he remains supported by nearly 60% of the population and his party, the Morena (Movement for National Regeneration) is widely favored to stay in power. The suspense concerns the name of the representative of Morena in 2024. The mayor of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marcelo Ebrard, are the two favorites to win the nomination.
(with agencies)
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