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In Mexico, a Growing Gap Between Political Class and Calls for Change Mexico Faces Growing Gap Between Political Class and Calls for Change
(35 minutes later)
MEXICO CITY — As the Nobel Peace Prize was being awarded in Oslo this week, a young man dashed on stage, unfurled a Mexican flag streaked with red paint and begged for help for his country because more than 40 college students have been missing for months after clashing with the police.MEXICO CITY — As the Nobel Peace Prize was being awarded in Oslo this week, a young man dashed on stage, unfurled a Mexican flag streaked with red paint and begged for help for his country because more than 40 college students have been missing for months after clashing with the police.
At the Latin Grammy Awards ceremony in Las Vegas last month, the big winners, Calle 13, shouted solidarity with the victims as they performed. At home, mass marches have regularly filled Mexican streets with angry calls for the government to act against corruption and crime.At the Latin Grammy Awards ceremony in Las Vegas last month, the big winners, Calle 13, shouted solidarity with the victims as they performed. At home, mass marches have regularly filled Mexican streets with angry calls for the government to act against corruption and crime.
But is the country’s political class listening?But is the country’s political class listening?
In the coming days, Mexico is expected to name a special prosecutor to investigate corruption — a supposed Elliot Ness who would spare no sacred cows and answer the clamor of the public. The prosecutor is supposed to finally root out bribery, favoritism, kickbacks and reveal the kinds of organized crime that prosecutors say were at play in the case of the missing students.In the coming days, Mexico is expected to name a special prosecutor to investigate corruption — a supposed Elliot Ness who would spare no sacred cows and answer the clamor of the public. The prosecutor is supposed to finally root out bribery, favoritism, kickbacks and reveal the kinds of organized crime that prosecutors say were at play in the case of the missing students.
That kind of prosecutorial determination may be what the public demands. What it is getting, however, is a prosecutor with little of the independence necessary to carry out the stated mission, government watchdog groups say.That kind of prosecutorial determination may be what the public demands. What it is getting, however, is a prosecutor with little of the independence necessary to carry out the stated mission, government watchdog groups say.
The new position will operate under the attorney general’s office — headed by an ally of President Enrique Peña Nieto, who will have veto power over the Senate’s nominee. But the president himself is facing accusations of conflict of interest over a house that his wife tried to buy from a government contractor, raising public concern about how aggressive a special prosecutor can be.The new position will operate under the attorney general’s office — headed by an ally of President Enrique Peña Nieto, who will have veto power over the Senate’s nominee. But the president himself is facing accusations of conflict of interest over a house that his wife tried to buy from a government contractor, raising public concern about how aggressive a special prosecutor can be.
And so, in a time of widespread tumult over the missing students, presumed dead at the hands of authorities working with drug gangs, Mexico now faces an ever-widening breach between the political class and the demands for change.And so, in a time of widespread tumult over the missing students, presumed dead at the hands of authorities working with drug gangs, Mexico now faces an ever-widening breach between the political class and the demands for change.
The parties, all weakened or lacking moral authority on corruption and the rule of law because of their own misdeeds or lack of action, are seen as failing to channel the passion of the streets.The parties, all weakened or lacking moral authority on corruption and the rule of law because of their own misdeeds or lack of action, are seen as failing to channel the passion of the streets.
Mr. Peña Nieto’s governing Institutional Revolutionary Party has a legacy of corrupt rule, and polls show a lack of faith in him and in how he has handled the crises. The left-leaning Party of the Democratic Revolution is in power in the violent state and city where the students disappeared. And the conservative-leaning National Action Party, buffeted by internal discord, still gets tarred for failing to control the drug violence that soared when it held the presidency before Mr. Peña Nieto.Mr. Peña Nieto’s governing Institutional Revolutionary Party has a legacy of corrupt rule, and polls show a lack of faith in him and in how he has handled the crises. The left-leaning Party of the Democratic Revolution is in power in the violent state and city where the students disappeared. And the conservative-leaning National Action Party, buffeted by internal discord, still gets tarred for failing to control the drug violence that soared when it held the presidency before Mr. Peña Nieto.
“What has been proposed as solutions are like treating cancer with an aspirin,” said Juan Pardinas, a political analyst at the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness, a research group based here. “There is a kind of deafness on their part without recognizing the huge opportunity to change things in Mexico as a result of this crisis.”“What has been proposed as solutions are like treating cancer with an aspirin,” said Juan Pardinas, a political analyst at the Mexican Institute for Competitiveness, a research group based here. “There is a kind of deafness on their part without recognizing the huge opportunity to change things in Mexico as a result of this crisis.”
Some see the disconnect as willful.Some see the disconnect as willful.
The gap has fed doubt about the prospect for anything transformative, similar to the way the shock of the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre in the United States initially raised discussions of broad gun control that, in the end, could not overcome politics.The gap has fed doubt about the prospect for anything transformative, similar to the way the shock of the 2012 Sandy Hook school massacre in the United States initially raised discussions of broad gun control that, in the end, could not overcome politics.
“It is a historic breach here,” said Mauricio Merino, an analyst at CIDE, a Mexico City policy institute, and one of 80 intellectuals who called on political leaders this week to jettison the proposal for a single special prosecutor and instead create an independent body to fight corruption at the highest levels. “The political class has the power, and they are trying to keep it.” “It is a historic breach here,” said Mauricio Merino, an analyst at CIDE, a Mexico City policy institute, and one of 80 intellectuals and representatives of watchdog groups who called on political leaders this week to jettison the proposal for a single special prosecutor and instead create an independent body to fight corruption at the highest levels. “The political class has the power, and they are trying to keep it.”
New polls have shown Mr. Peña Nieto with the lowest popularity ratings of his two years in office, as well as falling confidence in public institutions and in the political process in general, in which under-the-table money, illicit and not, flows freely despite tight controls on campaign spending.New polls have shown Mr. Peña Nieto with the lowest popularity ratings of his two years in office, as well as falling confidence in public institutions and in the political process in general, in which under-the-table money, illicit and not, flows freely despite tight controls on campaign spending.
Dragging down the public mood are a series of cases questioning the integrity of the state.Dragging down the public mood are a series of cases questioning the integrity of the state.
First came the abduction of the 43 teacher-trainee students in rural southern Mexico at the hands of the police and, according to the authorities, a local mayor working with a drug gang.First came the abduction of the 43 teacher-trainee students in rural southern Mexico at the hands of the police and, according to the authorities, a local mayor working with a drug gang.
Then, a local news site published details of a luxurious house that Angelica Rivera, the first lady, was buying on credit from a contractor that had done a lot of government business.Then, a local news site published details of a luxurious house that Angelica Rivera, the first lady, was buying on credit from a contractor that had done a lot of government business.
The owner of the firm that built the house was part of a Chinese-led consortium that had just won a government contract to build a high-speed train, though the bid was later canceled.The owner of the firm that built the house was part of a Chinese-led consortium that had just won a government contract to build a high-speed train, though the bid was later canceled.
While the president’s aides insisted there was no conflict of interest, Ms. Rivera backed out of the house deal after it was made public. On Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported that the finance minister, Luis Videgaray, had also bought a house from the company, Grupo Higa. Mr. Videgaray said that he paid back the loan, had included the house on public disclosure forms and saw no conflict of interest because he bought it a couple of months before he joined the cabinet.While the president’s aides insisted there was no conflict of interest, Ms. Rivera backed out of the house deal after it was made public. On Friday, The Wall Street Journal reported that the finance minister, Luis Videgaray, had also bought a house from the company, Grupo Higa. Mr. Videgaray said that he paid back the loan, had included the house on public disclosure forms and saw no conflict of interest because he bought it a couple of months before he joined the cabinet.
Mr. Peña Nieto has tried to right his presidency, announcing a 10-point plan this month that essentially included disbanding the 1,800 local police departments, putting state police departments in charge and giving the federal government the power to dissolve local governments that show signs of corruption.Mr. Peña Nieto has tried to right his presidency, announcing a 10-point plan this month that essentially included disbanding the 1,800 local police departments, putting state police departments in charge and giving the federal government the power to dissolve local governments that show signs of corruption.
Many analysts said it did not go far enough and lacked concrete proposals to address the impunity and corruption in the justice system and the political parties. The legislature, which would have to approve many of the changes, does not seem to be acting with urgency, sending hints in the final days of its session this week that it may wait until next year to take them up.Many analysts said it did not go far enough and lacked concrete proposals to address the impunity and corruption in the justice system and the political parties. The legislature, which would have to approve many of the changes, does not seem to be acting with urgency, sending hints in the final days of its session this week that it may wait until next year to take them up.
Aurelio Nuño, Mr. Peña Nieto’s chief of staff, acknowledged recently that the president had been “widely insufficient” in tackling corruption and injustice as his office focused on spurring economic development, including opening the decades-closed state oil industry to outsiders.Aurelio Nuño, Mr. Peña Nieto’s chief of staff, acknowledged recently that the president had been “widely insufficient” in tackling corruption and injustice as his office focused on spurring economic development, including opening the decades-closed state oil industry to outsiders.
“We had fallen short in terms of our rule of law and justice agenda,” Mr. Nuño said, “and it is imperative to ramp up our efforts.” “We had fallen short in terms of our rule of law and justice agenda,” he said, “and it is imperative to ramp up our efforts.”
Alberto Escorcia, a protest leader, is helping to organize a social media campaign to keep up awareness of the missing students. “I see a self-absorbed president and a self-absorbed first couple, who cannot see this frustration and anger is not only against them, but against an entire system,” he said.Alberto Escorcia, a protest leader, is helping to organize a social media campaign to keep up awareness of the missing students. “I see a self-absorbed president and a self-absorbed first couple, who cannot see this frustration and anger is not only against them, but against an entire system,” he said.
Many of the younger generation hope a “Mexico spring” will flower from the anger, but already a recent protest fell short of the large numbers of previous marches, and the demonstrators have lacked clear, and some critics say realistic, goals.Many of the younger generation hope a “Mexico spring” will flower from the anger, but already a recent protest fell short of the large numbers of previous marches, and the demonstrators have lacked clear, and some critics say realistic, goals.
Few believe that Mr. Peña Nieto will resign, as some demand, or that the students will be found alive, now that at least one has been confirmed dead. His remains were identified among ash and bone that suspects in custody told the authorities was all that was left of the students they had killed and burned.Few believe that Mr. Peña Nieto will resign, as some demand, or that the students will be found alive, now that at least one has been confirmed dead. His remains were identified among ash and bone that suspects in custody told the authorities was all that was left of the students they had killed and burned.
But for a president who has shown careful attention to his public image, especially on the international stage, the protest message may be beside the point. However he and other political leaders respond, the damage may already have been inflicted.But for a president who has shown careful attention to his public image, especially on the international stage, the protest message may be beside the point. However he and other political leaders respond, the damage may already have been inflicted.
“We are witnessing a political exercise that is completely detached from the population,” said Hugo Sanchez, a professor at the National Autonomous University who has studied social movements here.“We are witnessing a political exercise that is completely detached from the population,” said Hugo Sanchez, a professor at the National Autonomous University who has studied social movements here.
“The federal government has shown a very limited and inappropriate capability to react, and it hasn’t found a rhetoric and narrative that fits this moment of crisis,” he said. “It will be very hard for him to find it, since every discovery and confirmation of the students’ death only fuels the movement and empowers people to mobilize.”“The federal government has shown a very limited and inappropriate capability to react, and it hasn’t found a rhetoric and narrative that fits this moment of crisis,” he said. “It will be very hard for him to find it, since every discovery and confirmation of the students’ death only fuels the movement and empowers people to mobilize.”