This is a country were "posing" is the rule, a golden land where Milli Vanilli should have landed instead of trying to tackle rougher northern shores. The recent "Acapulco Festival of Music" featured a star-studded collection of musicians all "lip-synching" to an adoring audience, where the only diamond of truth happened to be the female group "Four Non Blondes". Instead of playing along with this sham, the group began to scream repeatedly at the audience, suggesting that "one and all" should take certain carnal liberties with our favourite television exec's. Naturally, they were given the immediate hook, while the crowd screamed with delight.
Mexico, you can't be serious.
The producer of this festival, the giant media monopoly, Televisa, also controls most of Mexico's media, including television, radio, newspapers, and magazines, and has never been subtle about its loyalty (we're being generous here!) to the ruling political party of more than seventy years. Where else would you hear that the Archbishop of the local Catholic Church was accidentally killed in drug-gang cross fire, because he was mistaken for the local drug lord? Political connections are quickly brushed-off, and explanations come straight from "Mother Goose". Gunmen always act alone here, even in the face of powerful evidence to the contrary, and politicians are always impeccably clean - at least in Televisa's eyes.
Mexico, you can't be serious.
Flaubert once postulated that as "intelligent beings observing the world's events, we have two choices: radicalism or irony". As many of us are not quite ready to take up arms, we must therefore recognize the particular ironic humour of recent Mexican events. Last September's national elections, were marred with more than 1000 official protests of fraud and tampering. During and after the elections, U.N. election observers were wined and dined by senior government officials and quickly gave them the "good housekeeping" stamp of approval; we assume they immediately returned to their respective countries, but not before they purchased a few sombreros, some serapes, and the mandatory bottle of Kahlua. Their brief stay here was assuredly comfortable, as only a few weeks later Mexico was being invited by the U.N. to participate in international "election observance" activities! This is the same Mexico which has witnessed over seventy years of one-party rule, and has what Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa calls, "the perfect dictatorship".
Mexico, you can't be serious.
Thus far, 1995 has not disappointed those lovers of charades and buffoonery. It seems that Mexico has never been able to wrestle with the problems of its educational system. President (elect!) Zedillo, spent his last six years as Secretary of Education, and his mishandling and general bumbling is legendary. However, the recent appointment and "rapid-fire" resignation of Zedillo's successor, Dr. Fausto Alzati, is a real laugher. First, we should note that we're being more than generous by bestowing the title "Doctor" on Mr. Alzati. In his few months as Secretary, Fausto established his reputation as a pompous and pretentious administrator, who never failed to call to attention his own credentials, and who was noted as being unusually strict with regards to Scholarship and Grant disbursements, often calling into question the credentials of potential recipients. Then in December, a leading Mexican daily newspaper, revealed that Fausto had really never completed his graduate work, and therefore was falsely laying claim to the title of "Doctor". Fausto repented and explained that he had almost completed his Doctorate requirements, failing only to submit his graduating thesis. With a voice of support from the ex-Secretary of Education, and now president, Zedillo, the issue quickly subsided...until in January it was revealed, upon further investigation, that our man Fausto had not even secured a lowly undergraduate degree! The media howled with delight, and Fausto gave a wonderfully impassioned speech where he bid us all to "forget about titles, and just be" The next day he was sacked.
Mexico, you can't be serious.
If we could wipe away the grins for a moment, we would realize that these are somber times for Mexico. A battered peso, rising inflation, even faster rising unemployment, an exploding population, indigenous unrest, political murder, and growing socio-economic dichotomies. All of these problems have been dealt with the traditional double-speak, lies, and often hilarious cover-ups. However, now, more than ever, those that have the power to do so, must stop the charades, admit the reality of situations, and move with honesty and openness.
Mexico, you must get serious.
Andreas Seppelt, Mexico City, Mexico
c/o me@cyberstore.com