‘March for Democracy’: The pink tide screams for democracy and against López Obrador

Thousands of people have gathered in Mexico City’s Zócalo and in the country’s main cities to participate in the March for Democracy. The so-called pink tide emerged this Sunday to demand clean votes and respect for democratic institutions, two weeks before the start of the campaign and less than four months before the presidential election on June 2. The demonstration was marked by civic slogans, but it was also a cry amplified by thousands of voices protesting against Andrés Manuel López Obrador. Natalia Carrillo, 28, says, “We want our votes to be counted and that we live in a true democracy.” She added, “It’s not against the president, but it’s true that protesting the government.” “And the line between protecting your rights is becoming increasingly blurred.”

Despite the presence of many politicians, leaders and organizations associated with the opposition, organizers insisted that it was a non-partisan mobilization. Among others, the PAN leader, Marco Cortés, and the PRD leader, Jesús Zambrano, met. Opposition candidate for president Xochitl Gálvez did not attend due to electoral restrictions and to avoid “misinterpretations”. “This is a march to protect democracy, its institutions,” he said in a video. Her rival, ruling party Claudia Sheinbaum, held an event in parallel to make her registration as a candidate official. Organizers of the march speak of 700,000 participants, while other sources assure that the call was more modest. Everything is happening on a Sunday morning surrounded by the political excitement that the country is experiencing.

The blurred boundary between the civil nature of the protest and its political implications and interpretations was present throughout the demonstration. The pink tide was a confluence of those who oppose the attacks against the National Electoral Institute (INE), of those who defend the independence of the judiciary and demand the intention to disappear autonomous bodies, but it also led to protests by Rivers also accused the president of planning an authoritarian turn to influence electoral competition and promote polarization. Every “Mexico, Mexico!” For, there was “Out with López”, for every “INE was not touched”, there were slogans against the “narco-president”, for every national flag that was carried on its back there. A protest against the “dictatorship of Morena”.

“The government wants to give an image that everything is fine and everyone agrees with what they are doing, we have come to show our disagreement,” says 42-year-old Javier Arias. Protesters complain that the president has “blatantly interfered in the election”, but defend the civil nature of the protest by arguing that “proselytization is not being done for or against anyone.” “This is an opposition demonstration, but a non-partisan demonstration,” he remarked. “This is our last chance to go out and defend our vote, regardless of who everyone else is voting for,” agrees Samadhi Reynoso, 43, about the decision to protest before the campaign begins on March 1.

At a pavilion placed in front of the National Palace, headquarters of the Federal Executive, one of the organizers explained that, while in other editions of the march they were careful to avoid mentioning the names of López Obrador and other politicians, on this one On occasion it was important to note that “the President is part of the problem” and “he has to understand that he is not the candidate.” Authorities had erected metal fencing around the palace and some streets around the Zocalo a few days earlier. “They are calling for demonstrations to defend corruption, even though they say they care about democracy,” the president said at his press conference on Friday, reflecting the atmosphere ahead of the protests. “Nothing new,” the president said today. The Mexican flag is also not flown in the center of the square, a fact noted and criticized by many attendees.

“It’s not against López Obrador, we oppose his actions and his government plan,” says Diego Camacho, 35. That was one of the most frequent debates among the attendees. “Defending democracy has become an opposition struggle, especially when we are facing a dictatorship under construction,” says protester Gerardo Villadelangel, 50, on the other hand, who holds a sign with the president wearing a crown. And which reads “No to authoritarian restoration.”

After 11:30 am, Lorenzo Córdova, former president of INE and the sole speaker of the event, reiterated that it was not a call for “support or criticism of any campaign” or “of any government”, although he alleged that the country ” is facing a project of authoritarian regression” and made several allusions to the “authoritarian” nature of the President. During the speech, slogans “oust AMLO” and against the “narco-president” were heard. “Democracy did not come to us from above, it is the result of the struggle of many citizens,” Córdova said.

Virginia Anchustegui, 67, who described herself as “disillusioned with this government.” She added, “I came out to defend it during the time of Echeverría and the PRI and I will continue to do so.” Miguel Ángel Medina, who also admits to being disappointed, alleging that López Obrador has usurped leftist discourses and aligned himself with more conservative groups. He added, “We are endangering the present and future of our democracy “

Meters further back, one of the protesters complained that a “communist constitution” was being promoted, another launched into a speech in defense of the independence of the judiciary and one against the disappearance of the INE and INAI (National Transparency Institute). And protested. Rational arguments and stubborn stances co-exist, while some seek shelter from the scorching sun. “This is democracy: being able to express your ideas without censorship, and we are defending that,” says Medina, 45. This postcard also seems to be a sample of the opposition’s challenge before the next elections: beyond articulating fatigue, mobilizing it, trying to find a common thread, and hinting at its own political project. The capital, where the left has ruled for nearly three decades, is emerging as one of the main areas of contention in the election: it is one of the bastions of López Obradorism, but also a center of discontent with the ruling party.

After Córdova’s speech, the pink tide sings the national anthem and vacates the Zócalo after twelve o’clock at noon. Elia Chema and her family stop for breakfast at a café and begin a long political conversation. Chema says, “I think the society is showing that it wants to demonstrate without political and partisan filters, and that it rejects authoritarianism.” The 54-year-old woman believes that one of the challenges for those who go to demonstrate for democracy is to reach more sectors of the population, make more diverse calls and be unconcerned across political divides.

But at present this task seems practically impossible. The conversation focused on defending checks and balances, separation of powers, and criticism of presidential power. But after a while, everything becomes involved in the election: endless discussions about candidates, proposals, and the future of the country are interrupted only when the waiter arrives with chilaquiles and eggs rancheros. The showdown is over and, in a matter of days, the presidential race is entering its decisive phase.

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