As Far as Pena Nieto's Imminent Trip to Washington Goes, We Have to Support Him Manuel J. Jauregui - Reforma
go to original January 25, 2017

If Pena goes to Washington to put his neck – and Mexico’s future – on the line and face the hateful Trump, he should go with the backing of all Mexicans (@delaroux/Twitter)

President Peña Nieto seems very skinny, very feeble - not due to illness as he has good color in his face - but rather due to worry, stress and anxiety in the face of the self-evident, inescapable fact that his administration is almost at its end. This is on top of a series of ruckuses which spoil his legacy and greatly complicate the last part of his term.

He’s most likely thinking that in just a week he’ll be sitting down - in enemy territory - to negotiate with one of the most abusive bullies on the planet. A bully who hates Mexico, who is trying to humiliate us in order to set an example for the rest of the world, a situation similar to the biggest kid in class who picks on the weakest kid on the playground to scare the other children.

It’s true that we have criticized President Peña many times, but it’s true that we have also said time and again that nobody in their right mind would hope that he does badly, as this would be the same as wishing ill on all of Mexico. This is something that no-one wants, but rather we want exactly the opposite: if Peña does well and makes the right decisions, then things will go well for Mexico, which is something all Mexicans yearn for.

So, we ask ourselves if our President’s extreme thinness might not reflect his mental state. In any case, if he goes in deflated, disheartened, tired and anxious, he will not be in the optimal physical and mental conditions to go ten rounds with the most famous Donald J. Trump.

Therefore, we want to suggest something that is rarely seen in this space: regardless of the gasolinazo [recent hike in gas prices], the increase in cost of electricity and the government’s excessive debt and spending – for which, President Peña deserves a resounding boo within Mexico and at the hands of the Mexican people – as far as his imminent trip to Washington goes, we have to support him.

We have a week to fill him with encouragement, to make him feel that we, the Mexican people, will set aside our differences to unite against the enemy when it comes to defending the country. This is an idea that the Banorte Group [a Mexican bank], for example, suggested and spread brilliantly, and which we think that we should all join. If Peña goes to Washington to put his neck – and Mexico’s future – on the line and face the hateful Trump, he should go with the backing of all Mexicans, as it is in defense of the same cause, which is the future of our children and our children’s children.

So, we suggest that social leaders, company owners, intellectuals, businessmen, political groups, university professors, doctors, students, members of Congress, NGOs and even the opposing political parties show Peña their support with regards to defending Mexico’s interests.

Read the rest at Mexico Voices

Related: Seven Bargaining Chips Mexico Has in Negotiations with Trump (Foreign Policy Magazine)

Related: Mexico vs. Trump: Trump's Threats Need to be Opposed (Sinembargo)

Translated by Melanie Orr

Mexico Voices is a blogging endeavor aimed at raising the awareness of U.S. citizens regarding the destructive impact of the U.S. economic policy and the War on Drugs on Mexico - on its people, their economic and physical security and their human rights, on the nation’s dysfunctional justice system, and on the rule of law and Mexico’s fragile democracy. Visit the website at MexicoVoices.blogspot.mx

We invite you to add your charity or supporting organizations' news stories and coming events to PVAngels so we can share them with the world. Do it now!