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 Editorials | October 2006 
Protests, Passion Part of Mexican Culture
 Maribeth Mellin - SF Chronicle
| | There's always a protest of some sort taking place in the public square Octavio Paz called "the balcony of our national history." |
The Associated Press recently reported that "growing political unrest and drug violence are making foreigners think twice about visiting Mexico. ... No tourists have been reported hurt in Mexico City, Oaxaca or Acapulco, but hotels are being hit by cancellations of thousands of reservations."
On Sept. 16, 2006, U.S. Ambassador Tony Garza spoke of the "near lawlessness of some parts of our border regions," and warned Americans to be extra cautious when traveling to border cities
Such reports from Mexico are unsettling, even for frequent travelers. Passion is palpable in the streets of Oaxaca, where teachers spent the summer sleeping in the central plaza beneath placards demanding better wages and social change. Many stayed even after school started. In Mexico City, angry voters protesting the results of Mexico's presidential election set up camp beneath the wide-winged golden angel monument on the Paseo Reforma and the massive flag in the Zócalo.
Those camps are breaking up, and Mexico City is slowly getting back to its normal hectic pace. But the overall feeling of unrest continues. Drug lords and crime bosses are in on the action, depositing human heads in public places in Acapulco, Tijuana and even the rural community of Uruapan. Anger is in the air, along with frustration, disappointment and fear. Sometimes it seems everyone in Mexico is holding a collective breath.
So why in the world would anyone travel to Mexico in this time of upheaval and uncertainty? For some, it's a matter of work, or family or familiarity. Others are simply unfazed by politics and protests and wouldn't dream of canceling their week at a sunny beach in Cancún or Cabo. And for those of us who struggle to understand Mexico, it's an opportunity to witness raw emotion in action.
Passion permeates the very soul of Mexico, peeking from beneath the surface like the eyes of a child proffering Chiclets. Sorrow and joy, love and loss, anger and absolution resonate in even the most casual encounters. Mexico is an in-your-face kind of place, inspiring both admiration and trepidation.
I first encountered this overwhelming intensity in Mexico City's Zócalo, the vast, gray, concrete square where Spanish conquistadors built palaces atop the glorious Aztec capital at Tenochtitlan. Rain turned to sleet as I walked crowded streets to the Zócalo, where thousands upon thousands of people gathered to celebrate Mexico's independence.
As midnight neared, the crowd erupted in a raucous, throbbing, magnificent cry. ¡Viva Mexico! ¡Viva Mexico! ¡Viva Mexico! The crowd chanted in a display of national pride far more inspiring to me than any Fourth of July parade. I began to comprehend the powerful love Mexicans feel for their complicated country and for the concepts of independence and equality.
I've since witnessed countless demonstrations, protests, processions and parades in Mexico and never cease to be amazed at the determination and devotion Mexicans display when defending their ideas. I've also, by the way, never felt afraid or threatened by protesters - though I was tempted to make like an "SNL" conehead character and mumble "I'm from France," when the United States invaded Iraq. Demonstrators set up camps along the Paseo Reforma and in the Zócalo when that war began, using their freedom of speech to express their beliefs.
There's always a protest of some sort taking place in the public square Octavio Paz called "the balcony of our national history." Poverty and injustice run rampant throughout the country, as does political fervor. All citizens have the right to proclaim their cause in front of the National Palace, beneath the enormous flag at the Zócalo.
Mexicans also use humor and handicrafts to express their opinions, writing witty verses called calaveras about politicians and other public figures for Day of the Dead festivities. Shortly after the peso devaluation in 1995, markets in coastal Puerto Escondido carried T-shirts picturing ex-President Carlos Salinas de Gortari, his pointy ears sticking up like a rat's, dressed in prison garb.
When the Zapatista Liberation Army briefly took control of San Cristóbal de las Casas in Chiapas on Jan. 1, 1994 (the same day NAFTA came into effect), it didn't take long for artisans to create whimsical Zapatista dolls complete with black face masks and wooden rifles. I first spotted ladies in braids and rebozos (shawls) selling the dolls at Mexico City's Zócalo, but they soon disappeared from that highly visible venue. Still, it wasn't hard to find the dolls in the countryside, especially in politically charged Oaxaca.
I don't know if any humorous handicrafts have popped up in Oaxaca since the teachers began their strike. To be honest, the city of Oaxaca is one place I wouldn't recommend for Mexico novices right now. Not so much out of fear - though the military could clamp down on the protesters in a repeat of violence that erupts occasionally.
I advocate caution mostly because the first-time Oaxaca visitor wouldn't be able to see how absolutely lovely the city and countryside can be. It isn't the right destination if you've only got a week or two of vacation and want escape from reality.
The same goes for Mexico City, even though the demonstrators are taking a break. Protestors could assemble for large-scale marches and demonstrations around the Dec. 1 presidential inauguration. Unless you're politically savvy and can follow the Spanish-language press, you're best off elsewhere for now.
Instead, try Guadalajara, birthplace of mariachis and tequila, or the colonial city of Puebla, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Acapulco's not at its best at the moment, but Mazatlán's going through a cultural resurgence. Luxury trains will soon ferry rail buffs from El Paso to Mexico City, riding through mountain passes tourists rarely see. You've got San Miguel de Allende, with its creative expat community, and the mountains, rivers and cultural havens in the gorgeous state of Veracruz.
Mexico is an enormous country, just like the United States. Serial murderers stalking children in Phoenix don't keep tourists away from Disneyland. Barricades in Oaxaca won't stop cruise ships from sailing into peaceful harbors in Cozumel.
Tourism is the third-largest industry in Mexico. You can be sure the government will do all it can to keep travelers safe and secure.
Maribeth Mellin writes a monthly column on Mexico for the San Diego Union Tribune and is the author of several Mexico travel books. To comment, email travel@sfchronicle.com. |
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