I translated this piece from the inaugural address of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador to the Mexican Congress.
A small-town born romantic, optimist, and possibilitarian who is receiving the blessing and incense of pueblos originarios! He has a long-standing and observable modest and sincere political ethic that has won over a solid majority of the Mexican people in the last election with a simple big bet, one citizen to another:
Honest person, honest government!
On the basis of his vetted honesty, he won my love for politics again and best wish, not on ideology!
He doesn't have a credit card, a bank account, or any property! He says he is paid to defend and champion ideals and principles. Oh, and he earns $5,000 a month. The basis and foundation of his movement is to rip out from its root the corruption of the country. It's a social democracy that will bring Mexico to what he is calling the fourth transformation of the country. He consistently postures a common good where there is preferential care for the poor and forgotten municipalities. He admits that the people put him into office and that the people can put him out of office. He is willing to be voted off by referendum after two years in office in a six-year presidency. As he would say: "me canso ganzo!" Un Logro!
To be a political romantic is to believe that one can discover the genius and wisdom of every citizen through reflex, heart, and awe for life discontinuing the mechanical rise and never-ending militarism of all technocratic states! He sees an end to the psychology of violence in the political traditions of all cultures that has been a product of radicals like Marx and Machiavellian cynics and traditionalists alike! Idealists, committed to a vision of the true, the good, and the beautiful in every person and of what is possible when governance exercises a do-no-harm attitude for life, bust open our potential! And here is a political romanticism for the United States beyond current progressivism:
A. All federal land under the stewardship of pueblos originarios.
B. A tri-lingual country: English, Spanish, Chinese.
C. Median-income salaries for all elected officials.
D. Legalization of Plant Medicines.
E. Renunciation of War.
Sabor! This would be UN LOGRO for these United States in the 21st century. Achievements I would feel proud of being part of because someone's got to believe it!
At last ladies, gentlemen, queers and other...President of Mexico: Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador
"I am ready to not let down my people.
Just when I was coming over, a young man on a bike pedaled up with my car and told me:
"You do not have the right to let us down."
Nothing material interest me nor I care for the paraphernalia of power.
I've always thought that power must be exercised with wisdom and humility.
That it is only good sense when it becomes a virtue and when it is in the service of others.
I am cognizant of the great expectation that exist in the Mexican people. And the challenge that it means to confront the level and gravity of our national problems.
But I am optimistic!
And believe that we are going to be okay.
We are going to confront well the level and gravity of our national problems.
Because I believe in the people and in its culture.
In the culture of the people, of our people!
The customs of Mexico.
That have always been our saviors!
With our customs we have confronted epidemics, earthquakes, floods, hunger, invasions, civil wars, economic crisis, bad governments, and other calamities.
And over and over again we have always risen with dignity and pride!"
~Address to the Mexican Congress
December 2018
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