The turbulent Mexico of the 21st century

It would be necessary to reread 'Laberinto de la Soledad' to understand why, at the height of the 21st century, one part of Mexico is dragging along a series of atavisms while the other tries to move towards the future - free of chauvinisms - to build a more socially and economically homogeneous country. 

But it cannot. It is as if a giant tumour were phagocytising the Aztec nation, that cancer that Octavio Paz blurred in a profound account in one of the most accurate essays on the identity of the Mexican. 

The disease it suffers from is voracious: corruption runs rampant in a pyramidal fashion, the rulers are overwhelmed by a multitude of problems, a fundamental one stemming from the penetration of the drug cartels that have erected a veritable crime industry imposing their law of death through a narco-terrorism that has turned the state into their hostage. 

From a distance, from the Aztec country, one could see with fear and amazement how Colombia in the 1980s and 1990s was rapidly moving towards becoming a failed state in the hands of the guerrillas and the drug cartels, both united by the interests of controlling the ejidos and indigenous communities to grow marijuana and, years later, to join in the production of synthetic drugs. 

In Mexico, this scenario was seen from afar. Today, it is consumed by such malignity: the US State Department reports eight criminal organisations that it describes as "powerful" and "dangerous" and that are said to have power in different parts of Mexico.  

With the policy of "hugs and not bullets", announced repeatedly on La Mañanera by Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, he defends the integrity of criminals, whom he assures "must be treated well" and above all "forgiven".

The speech itself has emboldened criminals even more. The drug cartels are fighting for control of drug territories in broad daylight, with the highways turned into a war scene with cars, trailers and buses on fire; while the settling of scores leaves scenes worthy of the Mexican Revolution of 1910 with corpses hanging from bridges, poles, trees and wherever death catches them.

No one is safe in Mexico because if President López Obrador has decided not to prosecute, not to fight and not to punish criminals, the message of impunity is very strong and the cases have reached the ordinary citizen who can be shot dead for the simple fact of protesting because the driver in front of him has blocked his way. The daily red note reveals the weakness of justice, the scant respect for legality and the absence of the rule of law. A lawyer was recently killed in his office in the company of two witnesses; a neighbour was shot for protesting against a badly parked car blocking his path; a video of a group of students in a secondary school classroom with a machete in hand harassing a classmate is broadcast on Tik Tok. 

A veritable Law of the Jungle prevails while the names of colleagues atrociously murdered - 11 journalists have been killed so far this year - and of activists targeted by organised crime or by people they discomfort are on the rise.

Even the Spanish Foreign Ministry has mourned the murder of Spanish-born Puebla activist Cecilia Monzón, who was shot by two hitmen while she was driving her car. 

The ministry headed by José Manuel Albares issued a statement in which it strongly condemned "the brutal murder" of the Spanish lawyer and human rights defender.

"The government recognises the courage and commitment of Cecilia Monzón, who dedicated her work to defending and legally protecting women and victims of gender violence, as well as denouncing social and political gender violence," according to the text sent by the Spanish Foreign Ministry.

Spain also urged the regional authorities, as well as the competent authorities at federal and state level, to deploy all possible efforts to effectively protect human rights defenders so that they can carry out their work without putting their lives at risk. 

Despite these recommendations, the reality is that the Mexican government will do nothing to strengthen the application of justice: out of laziness, recklessness and on the orders of López Obrador himself, who has decided to govern in collusion with organised crime. He has decided to treat it well, with humanity, while the population lives in fear of whether their children will return home safe and sound. Iustitia mortuus et.