Pena Nieto Challenged by Young Man During Public Forum on His Government's Accomplishments Aristegui Noticias
go to original September 2, 2016

Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto has mixed things up for his fourth State of the Union Address. For the first time, he's held a townhall meeting taking questions from young Mexicans, while trying to improve his approval rating, which has plummeted amid sluggish economic growth, corruption scandals, and allegations of human rights abuses. (Al Jazeera English)

During the televised dialogue conducted by President Enrique Peña Nieto at the National Palace [regarding his fourth annual report on his government], a young man named José Ramón questioned the President on his lack of credibility and low popularity.

"It seems we couldn't be offended more or believe less, but week after week we are surprised by what we get," he said.

Although he did not have a turn to speak via the assigned lottery, José Ramón stood and asked for the floor minutes before the end of the meeting.

"I would like to mention some of the concerns I have. This is the fourth report of the government. We have been through two-thirds of this administration and the credibility, the popularity of the administration is very low, is incredibly low [23% accoding to latest Reforma poll]. Maybe I agree that the government is not here to be popular, is not here to be liked by us [statements Peña Nieto has made], but I completely agree that we should see the results."

The comment by José Ramón contrasted with that of the rest of the participants for the less complacent tone in which he made it:

"We see no refuting of the candidate Trump; we don't see the National Anticorruption System [recently established by law], we don't see a rendering of satisfactory accounts either in conflicts of interest or in academic conflicts, I don't know what to call it [Peña Nieto's plagiarism of his law degree thesis]. We don't see the results. I would like to ask where those results are, where is the urgency that the government ought to have to end the corruption that both dismantles good intentions and society's reality. I would like to ask about that, but in truth, I don't want to have a choreographed response."

Read the rest at Mexico Voices

Related: Dissident Teachers Reject Peña Nieto State of the Union (teleSUR)

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