Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Judi Lynn

(160,211 posts)
Fri Nov 14, 2014, 05:42 PM Nov 2014

No Mercy in Mexico

Weekend Edition November 14-16, 2014

The Missing Mexican Opinion

No Mercy in Mexico

by MATEO PIMENTEL


Within twenty-four hours of protestors setting fire to the National Palace door in Mexico City, Mexico, I phoned a close friend. I cannot say much about him; however, I can say that he is from Mexico City, lives there, and that he works with elected officials who respond directly to the head of state. I asked him what the back-story was regarding recent polemics surrounding the protests and missing/murdered 43 students. He told me that nobody knows the official story, but that the popular perception of the tragedy undergirds the current commotion.

Everything allegedly started in Iguala, a town in the State of Guerrero. The mayor’s wife is fairly outspoken politically, and she planned to give a speech. In the past, however, she had trouble with confrontations and protestors—especially students of “normal” schools. Normal schools are for students who want to become, or are studying to become, teachers. My friend said:


There are all these things going on in terms of education. They are cutting the budgets of different schools; they are diminishing the amounts of credits or courses that students have to take. For example, you can graduate, but you will no longer be an engineer, you would be a ‘technical engineer’ because of how the curriculum works out now. However, in Mexico, people are very big into their titles. Everywhere you go, people call you licenciado, or maestro, or doctor. They are really into their titles.

The roots of the current unrest go deeper than titles; not only does a change in professional title demote students’ and teachers’ socially, but it also places them at a lower market value for the workforce. This “changes a lot in terms of salary,” my friend said, “which, in Mexico, is nothing. So, you go from nothing, to even more nothing. So, students and teacher are fed-up, and protesting.”

My friend could not stress enough that the now missing/murdered “(43 students) wouldn’t have done anything. They wouldn’t engage in any violence; they would just be there making noise. But [the mayor’s wife] told the police—which she controls—to ‘take care of them.’” For that matter, student protests take aim at issues of education in the hopes of it shaping their future work, not to diminish the state. In Mexico, however, my friend explained that to “take care of someone” does not mean to put up roadblocks, or to arrest people unduly. He said, “What it means is, kidnap them, dismember them, and burn them alive. So, that’s essentially what happened. She told the police, ‘Hey, don’t let them come near me.’ So what they took that as, was, ‘let’s kill them off.’” The Mayor of Iguala’s wife apparently did not want any rabble-rousing during her speech.

More:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2014/11/14/no-mercy-in-mexico/
4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
No Mercy in Mexico (Original Post) Judi Lynn Nov 2014 OP
Wow! PuraVidaDreamin Nov 2014 #1
This is what keeps the Elite awake at night. imthevicar Nov 2014 #2
Good! PuraVidaDreamin Nov 2014 #3
I do not believe that Pena Nieto has nothing to do with the corruption cbayer Nov 2014 #4

cbayer

(146,218 posts)
4. I do not believe that Pena Nieto has nothing to do with the corruption
Sat Nov 15, 2014, 08:46 PM
Nov 2014

and the cover up of the violence in Mexico.

I think the problems go all the way to the top.

I predict that he will not be in office much longer.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Editorials & Other Articles»No Mercy in Mexico