Breathe
By Ivabelle Arroyo
The 100 days of government is an invention of politicians to throw themselves a party. I mean, a party for themselves: to pay tribute to themselves, meet with their friends, cheer each other up and give them something to talk about in public gatherings. It is a gesture empty of content to which they want to give symbolic force. It is not an exercise of accountability or a stop along the way to evaluate achievements, because, let's be honest, 100 days are ridiculously few for a presidential government and even for the administration of a neighborhood.
The 100 days is an ephemeris of smoke but an excuse to keep the real muscle of mobilization oiled, something that Morena manages with skill. That mobilization is the best mechanism to reinforce the gears that connect the party's bases with the territorial operators and the apex of command.
That's what Claudia Sheinbaum did this weekend, and here I am, caught in the trap. I blew part of the concert and the whole speech of the president. Her intervention, although coated with the usual government tasks -such as delivering resources-, focused on two relevant political messages, framed in a full Zócalo that she used as a loudspeaker.
Yo mando, pero en el huacal
The first message was clear: "I am the continuity of Andrés Manuel López Obrador's project, and I command within that framework." I translate further: I command, but my command has clear limits. He is brilliant. To her critics she assures them that there is no caudillo behind her, but ideas, and to those who still look the other way she tells them not to fear, that her authority is perfectly aligned with the framework established by AMLO, which means that she will not get out of the hole.
"Coordination with the United States will not hurt (sovereignty)"
The second message, just as astute, had a double direction: on the one hand, to Donald Trump; on the other, to the sovereignty radicals within his own ideological base. By stating that with the United States there have been painful moments he gives his side to those who hate the country next door, but when he recalls how nice they behaved with Benito Juarez he opens the door to be friends and then skewers the idea of "we coordinate but never subordinate" that made those present let out cheers and tears. To Trump, he sent a signal of willingness to coordinate; to his followers, a reassuring "it will be painless for our susceptible idea of sovereignty". Everyone gets the convenient part and everyone is happy!
In short, the 100 days are nothing but smoke, but Sheinbaum's messages are anything but casual. She wants (or needs?) to keep everyone happy and applauding.
The opinions expressed are the responsibility of the authors and are absolutely independent of the position and editorial line of the company. Opinion 51.
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