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“Personally, I doubt very much that there are fellow citizens by pure malevolence are ranting against the country, but what I can say with all certainty, is that there are many Mexicans upset that criticized the poor performance and polices of Felipe Calderon …”
By Gabriel Infante Carrillo
Columnist
President Felipe Calderon in the past weeks recriminated the media for giving a lot of attention regarding to the violent acts committed by members of the drug cartels, especially for publishing in front page photographs of banners with drug gang’s messages, in which he imply that the criminals paid the press to published it. Not just the media were target of criticism, but also to those citizens that speaks against the country. According to him, this has caused a negative perception of the image of Mexico to the foreigners, which he considers that it has been "over exaggerated" the violence and insecurity situation of the country, affecting the tourist sector and driving away investments.
There are two points that must be left clear to president Calderon; first, the role of the media and journalist is to inform the national events and everything that affects both direct or indirect way to the citizens. The exponential increase of the violence cause by clashes between the drug gangs and the army, were civilians alien to the conflict have been affected, therefore it’s of the public interest. I don’t know what does it say to Felipe Calderon 1,130 people killed in march throughout the country due to the drug violence, but we have to point out that in this figure is included the two students of ITESM university in Monterrey; three people linked to the U.S Consulate Office in Ciudad Juarez; ten persons, of which 7 were minors, were riddle with bullets on board a van in Durango, among others cases. That’s exaggerating the reality? The events talk for themselves.
Secondly, say that Mexicans go around talking rubbish about the country is simply subjective. Personally, I doubt very much that there are fellow citizens by pure malevolence are ranting against the country, but what I can say with all certainty, is that there are many Mexicans upset that criticized the poor performance and polices of Felipe Calderon in all areas, not just in the security issue. Is that speaking badly about the country? Does it makes you anti-patriotic for questioning and pointing out things that are not going in the right track for the country? Is it a crime to aspire for a much better country?
In any case, the only culprit of the bad image that the country has is Felipe Calderon, that in a irresponsible way and for political motivation launches a war without a well trace strategy and not considering the consequence that this would bring. I don’t have any doubts, that this “face to face” fight against the organized crime was thought from the very beginning for the media, for everyone to see it. Once again Mr. president disclaim his errors and blames others.
The deteriorate image of Mexico is not just due to the drug violence, but also the already dishonorable reputation of corruption that exists in all levels of the State; human right violations and an incompetence and impartial judicial system that guide itself for pure political motives instead of applying the law and the Constitution to achieve just that, justice and rule of law. To have incriminated and sentence a foreigner of French nationality, Florence Cassez, of kidnapping based on lies and manipulation, put in evidence before the French society the deplorable quality of the Mexican democracy and justice, and this was demonstrated in the journalistic work of French journalists, Alain Devalpo and Anne Vigna in their book “Peines mexicaines: Florence Cassez, Jacinta, Ignacio et autres” and in Mexico is titled “Fábrica de culpables: Florence Cassez y otros casos de la injusticia mexicana” (Factory of culprits: Florence Cassez and other cases of Mexican injustice). That’s how Calderon expects that the image of the country will improve abroad? The only thing that he shows is that he doesn’t have a bit of a statesman, but with his recrimination just denotes how pretentious and megalomaniac he is. He is not Mexico!
Foto: Reforma
Foto: Reforma 2009
Felipe Calderon, Mexico, drug, drug war, Tec Monterrey, Florence Cassez, Ciudad Juarez, U.S.A, consulate, Alain Devalpo, Anne Vigna, Gabriel Infante Carrillo, equisy
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