by B. R. GOWANI
The presumed President-Elect Enrique Peña Nieto of PRI with his wife Angélica Rivera, a TV actress, on July 1, 2012. She is also known as “La Gaviota” or “The Seagull”, after a character she played in the soap opera, “La Gaviota”. PHOTO/Yuri Cortez/Getty Images/Washington Post
The true democracy, or as the US President Abraham Lincoln put it in his 1863 Gettysburg Address, “Government of the people, by the people, for the people” is only possible when the elections are free and fair, that is. free, from money and fair, from corporate media interference.
Mexico’s elections of July 1 saw Partido Revolucionario Institucional’s (PRI) candidate Enrique Peña Nieto, former governor of the State of Mexico, claiming victory by winning 38% of the vote. Andrés Manuel López Obrador of Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD) (which is made up of leftist three-party alliance) claimed about 32% of the vote, and Josefina Vasquez Mota of the conservative National Action Party (PAN) received 27% of the vote.
In the debate arranged by Mexico’s student movement called Yo Soy 132, three of the four candidates took part. The one who didn’t participate was PRI’s Enrique Peña Nieto.
Between 1929 and 2000, the PRI has under various names ruled Mexico and its name has come to represent electoral fraud and corruption. PRI used to be known as the Mexican “state party” because there was no real opposition and Mexico was a one-party state. After a gap of twelve years, it is back in the National Palace-unless the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) questions its victory.
In the wake of charges of election irregularities and vote buying by PRI, it’s likely that the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) will order a 50% recount. Obrador has asked for a full recount. The charges of fraud are not untrue. The PRI bought voters by distributing prepaid purchase cards valuing between 100 to 700 pesos for shopping at Soriana supermarkets. Many of the recipients have utilized the cards.
70% of the Mexicans are under the hold of Televisa, the Spanish speaking world’s biggest communications company. And it is with PRI. Theirs is an old relationship. This time also it favored PRI’s Peña Nieto.
War on drugs
The Mexico Vicente Fox of PAN inherited from PRI in 2000 was not in a good shape, and the one Peña Nieto is going to preside on now is in a worst shape. 60,000 people have died in the drug war started by Felipe Calderón of PAN six years ago. Everyday, 49 people are kidnapped in Mexico, the highest in the world, according to Mexico’s Commission on Human Rights.
Most of the Mexicans want the drug war to stop. They’re tired. The PRI governments used to make deals with the drug cartels. Which is not correct either.
The United States would want the new government to continue the war on drugs in a violent method. It simply doesn’t want to curb the demand for drugs within their territory. Peña Nieto is under pressure from the US to continue Calderón’s war.
The escapist first couple – political actor and TV actress
The traditional tyrannical trinity-the priests, warriors (kings, princes, and so on), and merchants-made up the ruling class of the olden days. The modern times has seen an addition of two more pillars-the news media and celebrities (which includes highly paid actors, sports people, fashion designers, and so on). Not all the top celebrities get involve in politics but when any of them wants to, she/he has an easy access to the news media and politicians to express their views nationally/internationally, and try to influence the lawmakers.
In the film world, the phrase “escapist cinema” is used for films which provide just entertainment, mostly mindless, but sometime with propaganda too. In politics or any other field, the photogenic quality of people applying for a job or running for an office is a plus point. And if the photogenic candidate is accompanied by a charming spouse, the outcome could be beyond expectation. It also helps if they are actors. In this case, one is a TV actress and the other one is a political actor. During the rallies, Rivera was also careful to cover up her cleavage. And she shot videos of emotional moments during the rallies and posted them on youtube.
Enrique Peña Nieto and his wife Angélica Rivera is what I would call an “escapist couple” which made people forget their worries for a while, while getting their votes. At the political rallies, Rivera was always by Peña Nieto’s side. People were heard screaming: “Peña, you’re hot,” and “I want you on my mattress.” Similar catcalls were also directed at Rivera.
However, Rivera and Peña Nieto must have quietly said to themselves: “Keep on dreaming and fantasizing about going to bed with us-either out of love or hatred. But remember one thing: It’s we who are going to fuck you politically and economically, literally. And not you people”
B. R. Gowani can be reached at brgowani@hotmail.com