What’s happening in Mexico? New President, Lopez Obrador has been elected. Why did he win? What is his program for change? What’s the role of big business, and leftovers from the prior ruling parties, PRI and PAN, in his government? What does it men for NAFTA and immigration? And what’s happening ‘on the ground’ with grass roots mobilizing, unions, progressives, etc. To Listen to my discussion with guest, Alan Benjamin, who lived in Mexico for years and visits frequently, on the latest developments. TO LISTEN to the hour long podcast,
GO TO:
http://prn.fm/alternative-visions-way-mexico-lopez-obrador-election-07-06-18/
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http://www.alternativevisions.podbean.com
SHOW ANNOUNCEMENT
Dr. Rasmus interviews Alan Benjamin, long time participant in Mexican and US labor politics, on the recent election of Andres Manuel Lopez-Obrador (aka AMLO) this past week. Benjamin provides an analysis of the election, and why AMLO won the election this time after having past elections he likely won in 2012 and 2006 stolen. Benjamin explains AMLO’s program evolution over 2018, the role of AMLO’s key business advisors, Urzua and Romo, selected to head, Mexico’s key cabinet positions of Secretary of Treasury and State, and AMLO’s latest views re. NAFTA and Trump. While the US media focuses on corruption and violence, various real sources of the economic and political crises in Mexico behind the election are discussed—i.e. popular demands by Mexicans for jobs, for an end to privatizations of energy and water, for restoration of Mexico’s declining healthcare services, and for repeal of past neoliberal ‘reforms’ of education and energy. Benjamin then describes the current grass roots organizing and popular committees now being formed by workers, communities, and youth to keep the AMLO election from being co-opted by US and Mexican business interests. How the AMLO election represents an important progressive ‘opening’, but also reflects a potential way of control by capitalist interests, as the old PRI and PAN business parties in Mexico have virtually collapsed. (For more information of original English translation of popular programs and events in Mexico, go to: http://www.socialistorganizer.com
A great interview. Anybody who has any real interest in Mexico should listen. Mexico is all but invisible because of the blackout of progressive activism in Mexico. Apparently, millions of people are involved as a result of decades of organizing which is quite a tribute to the Mexican people; contrast that to the US which has nothing in the way of organization anywhere near what Mexico has done despite the relative poverty of Mexico. This is also something that should be listened to by people with an interest in progressive politics in the US; too often an idea such as a general strike is raised without the slightest notion of how many years of organization is required and how many hundreds of thousands of people must be involved.
Great show as always, I thought I might hear that ALMO was going to be another Obama and that change was on the way. The facts are far more complex.