MEXICO: LESSONS TO BE LEARNED (A LITTLE BIT LATE)

In the last Mexican presidential election two things were clearly revealed:

First, that when the economical interests are at stake in a formal democracy, the real powers work together as a single force to impede, by any means, any possible change. That was the case in Chile (73), in the U.S. (2000/2004) and recently in Mexico (2006). This has been noted by all politics specialists on liberal democracy, from Bobbio to Mcpherson and from Dahl to Held, Laclau, Zolo et al. AMLO should have prevented this: now he knows it very well.

On the other hand, even if we just consider the official data, AMLO got the highest number of votes for the left ever. However it is important to ask us how many out of these votes were cast by well informed, politically conscious citizens and not so much by virtue of either simply opposing the new conservative ruling policy and its devastating effects or having sympathy with a charismatic leader. It is obvious that the political formation of the Mexican society is not in the ruling forces interest: therefore it must be one of the main goals for the progressive forces. It is the only way they could fight back against the system and its hegemonic control mechanisms.

Will they learn the lessons, even a little bit late?