The political plot twist that no one saw coming
It seems that in Oaxaca the soap opera of mass layoffs has just had a more dramatic twist than the end of Game of Thrones (but I hope this one makes more sense). After nine long months of a drama that included protests, finger-pointing, and a local congress playing the villain, Governor Salomón Jara Cruz appeared on the scene to announce that, psyche!, it was all a joke. Well, not exactly, but almost.
It turns out that the 1,344 places that had been canceled in an act of “republican austerity” (read with an ironic tone) are now reinstated. Yes, as if it were a world in real life. Bureaucrats, who have surely spent the last few months updating their CVs and watching tutorials on how to be an influencer, can now return to their desks as if December had been a bad dream caused by too much Christmas punch.
Of heroes and villains in the official narrative
In his press conference, Jara Cruz did not miss the opportunity to throw a couple of hints (or direct shots) at past administrations. According to him, the previous contracting mechanism was so irresponsible that it almost sank state finances and the pension system. Come on, according to his story, he is not the bad guy in the movie, but rather the hero who came to bring order to the inherited chaos. Classic blame game strategy that we see in all political reality shows.
But here comes the best: the governor assured that those places had been “bought” at the time, which gives the story a tinge of a drug crime series. Although, to be honest, in the world of Mexican politics, that sounds more like a predictable plot point than a shocking revelation.
Meanwhile, the bureaucrats union, which surely went from despair to euphoria in a matter of seconds, is already welcoming the measure. We imagine the scene: hugs, crying and maybe even the occasional piñata in the shape of a governor. Because nothing says “thank you for giving us back our daily bread” like a cardboard monster full of candy.
Conspiracy theories that fuel gossip
But not everything is happiness and rainbows in this (temporary?) happy ending. Some groups of bureaucrats, those who do not swallow the official discourse without a chaser of skepticism, described the decision as “desperate”. And this is where the gossip gets good: it turns out that the next mandate revocation process is upon us. What a coincidence, right?
It is almost as if political decisions are influenced by the interest of… remaining in power. *Gasp*. The governor, for his part, responded to these accusations with the elegance of a Twitter troll: he called them “godfathers” and “coyotes”. In other words, we went from a work drama to a Mexican western in a matter of seconds.
At the end of the day, this episode leaves us with several morals: 1) In politics, happy endings are negotiable and temporary. 2) “Austerity” is an elastic concept that stretches and shrinks depending on the popularity of the ruler in power. And 3) Always, but always, you must read the fine print of the contracts, especially if you work in the public sector.
So now you know, if your job depends on a political whim, maybe it doesn’t hurt to have a side hustle of selling products through a catalog or creating content on TikTok. Just in case.
Were you surprised by this unexpected turn in Oaxacan politics? Share this note and tag someone who loves well-served political drama. And don’t forget to explore our other stories about the behind the scenes of power in Mexico 🇲🇽.
