By Carmen Rioja
Despite the regrets, I continue to believe with strong faith in Mexico. I do it to save him at least in my dreams from all evil. The problem is that Mexico does not help. And believing pushing with supernatural effort to have faith in a current project of a nation of poor speech and phantom actions can cause a migraine and then the imagined concept disappears or turns it into a bunch of nightmares.
A young Dutch resident who travels every day by public transport in Mexico City, shared on Tik Tok her bewilderment when she understood that Mexico is that country in which, although passengers get on the truck without paying in droves, a ten coin pesos can pass safely from hand to hand from the bottom of the truck to the driver and the paper ticket will go back to its owner’s hands without any mishap and even with the luxury of civility and camaraderie among the passengers. «But, how is it that that same country of such honest people, is at the same time so corrupt, but so corrupt?» The foreigner exploded in crisis.
Mexico is the country where a perfect lemon at its juiciest point can be left in the ground as organic waste or can reach the value of a green jewel. In the first case by abundance. This is usually seasonal. And in the second case, because the fertile lands of Michoacán, among others, where the large productions of lemons are generated, are taken over by the drug cartels. The farmers, but above all the freighters and marketers, cannot access to collect the crops in a timely and normal manner; Paramilitary checkpoints, National Guard checkpoints, assaults by pirate patrols and all kinds of blockades prevent them from sustaining production costs against the sale price per kilo in the market. Hence, it resulted in a price increase of up to almost 90 pesos per kilo. «Green I love you green, lemon green.»
This week the journalist Lourdes Maldonado was shot to death in her red car after having denounced in person at the presidential morning press conference that her life was in danger, due to the impunity and influence of local authorities.
She told herself that she would be channeled to the link of social communication, but the remedy did not arrive where she had to arrive, much less when she had to arrive.
The country is rushing into the future and we are not prepared. Corruption is a sign of something deeper, the cause is lack of health and opportunities. That diseased tissue of cancerous molecules that link together to form larger networks, has always asked for help before, has denounced injustice and impunity always before, but the help did not come in time.
Bureaucracy is the mother of corruption. And by bureaucracy I mean that we are not capable of reacting expeditiously and influencing with actions when it is imperative to respond to a cry for help. Rapid change is coming and we are slow. We are not ready yet. The only way to prepare ourselves is to educate ourselves through reading, writing, communication and dialogue. Solidarity and humanitarian action is more propitious and natural for those who have health, security and culture. Caring first for the sickest and most needy is a discourse that we have heard repeated from various responsible bodies, but it is not accompanied by sufficient resources to carry out the programs in the vast Mexican territory.
I am pleased that the Coordination of Cultural Dissemination of the UNAM, the highest house of university studies in the nation, will be coordinated by the writer Rosa Beltrán, a brilliant mind who has known how to combine the efforts in the academy and the researcher’s determination with literary creation of high flights and the promotion of culture for all Mexicans. Her novels, essays and stories have been translated into various languages and are a reference in the Latin American chapter.
No less talented and generous with his readers and students, is the renowned writer Benito Taibo, who will give face-to-face talks at the end of February for young scholars and children who are starting to read or, why not, creative writing. Also within the intense program for new readers, Benito will sign autographs for his book Normal Person, among other titles that will be given away by friends of the Public Library of San Miguel de Allende, A.C. Wait for the announcement next week and reserve your place in person or participate through social networks. To those who wish to support with a book by this magnificent and fun author for children or adults, send a message to carmenrioja@atencionsanmiguel.org
