The PRI show that no one expected (but we all saw it coming)
Well, friends of democracy and political drama, the Mexican Congress once again became the reality show that no one asked for but we all ended up watching. Senator Alejandro “Alito” Moreno, who holds the title of national president of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), decided that the best time to drop the bomb of the century was during the reception of the First Government Report from President Claudia Sheinbaum. And boy did he do it with style.
In what seemed like the script of a low-budget political soap opera, Moreno stood on the platform and, with an energy that reminded us of that uncle who argues at family dinners, called Morena’s legislators “narco politicians.” Yes, you read that right. It wasn’t a slip, it was a whole strategy (or at least we think so).
“The PRI will never allow Morena to murder democracy, nor to murder opponents,” he declared with the solemnity of an influencer announcing a collaboration with a bottled water brand. And he finished with that phrase that is already going around all the networks: “ball of narcopoliticians and corrupt people who destroy the country”. The dramatic climax was served.
The political circus at its maximum splendor
As expected, the reaction was immediate. The pro-government deputies and senators responded with shouts of “Out, out” and the always elegant “Alito, asshole, you’re going to lawlessness.” Because nothing says “democratic debate” like creative insults in the chamber.
To add more flavor to the already spicy drama, Congresswoman Margarita García stood behind Moreno with a banner that showed the photograph of Claudia Sheinbaum and the legend “congratulations, President.” A passive-aggressive move that would have made the greatest masters of the art of shade proud.
But the show didn’t end there. The PRI senator vehemently criticized the reform of the Judiciary and the popular election of ministers, magistrates and judges, who were sworn in that same day. According to him, all this is a Machiavellian strategy to persecute the opposition. Basically, the central plot of an entire season of House of Cards but versioned with the cast of national politics.
“This first of September is a dark black day for Mexico and for the Republic,” he declared with a drama that deserved at least an Ariel award. “Mexico is in mourning because justice has died in the hands of Morena.” The phrase, although effective, left us wondering if justice had really been alive before or simply taking long naps.
Moreno described the reform as “fraudulent, pernicious” and accused the party in power of choosing ministers, judges and magistrates “at convenience” to “double the political persecution.” And although it may sound like dialogue from a conspiracy movie, we cannot deny that the script has all the elements to keep us glued to the screen.
As a bonus track, he announced that his party will vote in Congress against the electoral reform that the Executive will propose. “Now this madness of electoral reform is coming,” he warned, “with which Morena wants to destroy plurality, annul political competition and retain absolute control of the country.”
According to the senator, the final objective is clear: “to install a dictatorship from the polls, where only they win, only they rule and no one questions them.” An apocalyptic ending that, frankly, would make Game of Thrones look like a gardening documentary.
Meanwhile, the rest of us are still here, popcorn in hand, wondering if this is really the heroic defense of democracy or simply the latest chapter in the eternal rivalry between two sides that are more alike than they would care to admit. Because at the end of the day, in the great theater of Mexican politics, everyone seems to follow the same script, just in different disguises.
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