Mexico's Proposed Reforms. Image Credit-Gobierno de Mexico.
Constitutional Reforms Initiative Mexico

Mexico | Constitutional Reform Initiatives

Soledad Quartucci

Mexico | Constitutional Reform Initiatives

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, from Mexico’s National Palace, led a ceremony for the presentation of initiatives aimed at constitutional reform. Accompanying him was Dr. Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller, the First Lady of Mexico.

Also in attendance were members of the Legal and Expanded Cabinet of the Government of Mexico, representatives from the media, and online viewers engaging through social networks.

“This momentous occasion brings us closer to the vision of fostering a fairer and more equitable society. The government of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador is steadfast in its commitment to enacting reforms aimed at rectifying the longstanding inequalities and injustices in Mexico,” announced the event’s moderator.

The following is the address delivered by President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Constitutional President of the United Mexican States.

 

 

 

President Andrés Manuel López Obrador:

“Friends, Mexicans:

On this historic date, we commemorate another anniversary of the current Constitution of 1917. And in this place, where the liberal Constitution of 1857 was approved, I present to the people of Mexico the foundations and motives that inspire me to present a package of legal reform initiatives aimed at modifying the content of anti-popular articles that were introduced during the neoliberal or neoporfirist period; all of them, all those reforms from the neoliberal period, contrary to the public interest.”

 

 

“These are alterations that deny the general sense of our magna carta, which was the result of a popular, revolutionary movement, and therefore conceived from the beginning with a national, social, and, I emphasize, public spirit.

The reforms I propose seek to establish constitutional rights and strengthen ideals and principles related to humanism, justice, honesty, austerity, and democracy that we have advocated and put into practice since the beginning of the current national transformation movement.”

 

 

“I argue that Mexican Humanism is nourished by the cultural heritage left by the great Mesoamerican civilizations and the rich political history of our country, with its exemplary leaders, such as the father of our homeland, Father Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, who not only fought for independence but also, and with greater emphasis, for justice.

That is why the date most celebrated by the Mexican people is the beginning, the Cry of Dolores, and not the consummation of Independence, which occurred 11 years later.

Mexicans care more about the precursor, Father Hidalgo, than Iturbide, the consummator, because the priest was a defender of the common people, while the royalist general represented the elite, those in power, and only sought to wear the imperial diadem.”

 

 

 

“Hidalgo was made of different stuff; he was the first to proclaim the abolition of slavery. In thought and action, Hidalgo was a true revolutionary and did not beat around the bush. For example, in one of his letters to the intendant Juan Antonio Riaño, he wrote:

‘There is no remedy, Mr. Intendant, the current movement is great, even more so when it comes to recovering sacred rights conceived by God for Mexicans, usurped by cruel, bastard, and unjust conquerors who, aided by the ignorance of the natives and accumulating holy and venerable pretexts, went on to usurp their customs and property, and vilely turn them from free men into slaves.'”

 

 

 

“For that thought, the royalist oligarchs not only assassinated him but also beheaded him, and, as a warning, exhibited his head for more than 10 years in the main square of Guanajuato.

The same can be said of the public life of another good and rebellious priest, José María Morelos y Pavón, who presented in Chilpancingo, Guerrero, in 1813, a document known as the Sentiments of the Nation, a foundational text that embodies and expresses, in few words, with simplicity and good prose, a treatise of humanism, still relevant due to its significant social dimension.”

 

 

 

“Morelos’s 23 points are of great depth in the field of democracy and legality, but there are four of these postulates that seem to me of exceptional humanistic importance.

For example, Morelos said: ‘Moderate indigence and opulence.’ I say on this occasion: I cannot find a simpler formula to address the age-old problem of economic and social inequality in our country.

And although it may seem incredible and surprising to us, in the times of neoliberalism, which ended five years ago, inequality became even more extreme and offensive. That is why combating it with a better distribution of wealth, income, and the budget is today one of our greatest and most important tasks, and advancing to achieve it must remain our main source of pride.”

 

 

 

 

“Morelos thought, I quote: ‘Elevate the salary of the laborer.’ Notice how he elaborates on it, it’s just a few words: ‘elevate the salary of the laborer.’ Isn’t this demand also clear enough?

Let’s start with the fact that, during the neoliberal period —which I have referred to on countless occasions and fortunately ended in our country with that nightmare—, the impoverishment of the people was accompanied, in those 36 years, by a systematic and permanent loss of the purchasing power of wages.”

 

 

 

 

“Morelos requested: ‘Educate the son of the peasant and the laborer just like the son of the wealthiest landowner.’ This basic principle undoubtedly concerns public, free, and quality education, which was at risk, let’s not forget, during the neoliberal period, when an attempt was made to privatize education and leave it at the mercy of the free market, as if it were a commodity. Essentially, the so-called education reform of the previous six-year term was just that, that education not be a right, but a privilege reserved only for families who could afford it.”

 

 

 

 

“Now, guided by Morelos’s aspiration, we are working on four basic actions:

Treating teachers with dignity and not bargaining away their labor rights; never again disparaging the national teaching profession.

Improving school facilities through the program “The School is Ours.”

Reforming, as we have done, the educational content of textbooks to restore civics, ethics, history, and humanism, concepts removed by the so-called structural reforms.

Providing scholarships, from primary to university, to all students, poor and rich, ensuring that no young person is left without the possibility of studying due to lack of financial resources.

Finally, Morelos proposed: ‘Elevate the humble and humble the powerful.'”

 

 

 

“This guiding principle reflects a vision of government that we have adopted and implemented since the beginning of our administration.

In particular, the modern political and economic system was profoundly influenced by three characters of the Porfirian regime:

First, we have the so-called laws of the Indies, which were just the laws of the conquerors; later, we had the so-called Seven Laws, which were the work of Santa Anna; and finally, we had the Constitution of 1857, which is also good.

The problem is that the liberal Constitution was never applied, it was never respected. The military coup d’état was followed by the establishment of the Porfirian regime, and the liberal Constitution of 1857 remained in the inkwell.”

 

 

 

“For almost 40 years, the Porfirian dictatorship was in force, and what did it do? It transformed a constitutional and republican regime into a dictatorial, centralized, and authoritarian regime, under the so-called beneficent principles of the dictatorship. What happened in these 36 years of tyranny? Three fundamental things:

First, with the pretext of economic growth and order, all the rights and freedoms that were fought for during the Reform and the Revolution were suppressed.

Second, an absolutist system of government was established, not only ignoring federalism, but also suppressing all liberties and rights.

And, third, a severe economic and social inequality was created.

It is as if we were to make the mistake of returning to the government of the so-called Thirty Years’ Dictatorship, which lasted 36 years, with Porfirio Díaz, and the 36 years of the PRI dictatorship, all in all more than 70 years of the neoliberal period.

To sum up: these are the three most important reforms we have proposed, and now I am going to read the three modifications we are making to the Constitution:

First, a reform to give preference to the sovereign will of the people and the rejection of technocracy and the authoritarianism of technocrats. We will carry out a referendum to clarify once and for all what the sovereign people want and how they want it.

Second, a reform to promote equality and well-being for all Mexicans, putting an end to the shameless inequalities that exist in our country.

Third, a reform to advance towards a new political and economic system that puts an end to the current model that has caused so much damage to the people and the nation.

We have decided to undertake these reforms because we cannot continue to tolerate corruption, impunity, and privileges. That is why we must abolish the neoliberal regime, so that Mexico can have a true democratic republic. Otherwise, we will continue to have a government for the rich and powerful,” President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.

 

Soledad Quartucci | CEO/Founder, Latina Republic

Latina Republic is dedicated to promoting regional understanding through compelling narratives, articles, interviews, and reports that emanate from the heart of the Americas. Our foremost goal is to facilitate constructive dialogue by illuminating local viewpoints frequently overshadowed by mainstream media. Our mission is to equip all stakeholders with essential insights for addressing regional issues, thus empowering them in their efforts. We are committed to portraying the victories and hardships of everyday life in Latin America, while also chronicling the progression of social movements and amplifying the voices of those at the forefront of change.

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