Guadalajara, Jalisco— Supporters of President Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the governor of Jalisco, Enrique Alfaro, shouted at each other at a rally in this municipality until the former and Claudia Sheinbaum “rescued” the member of the MC who was gulping, sweating on the platform and had run out of words.
“The people voted and Lemus did not win!” began shouting the Morena supporters gathered in the municipal garden about the result of the election for governor.
And it was the most polite thing to do, because the leader of Movimiento Ciudadano ended up being called a “damned bald rat.”
The man from Jalisco was brave at first, encouraged by his followers, who sat right in front of him, who defended him with shouts of “governor! governor!”
Alfaro, stumbling over his words, asked for permission to welcome the president at the inauguration of the “El Zapotillo” dam, but he got nowhere.
Not even the president’s wife, the writer Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller, who from her seat asked for silence with her fingers on her lips and then with her arms, as if saying “calm down, calm down.”
Loud shouts and boos continued for almost five minutes to interrupt the governor and prevent him from starting his speeches, so the head of the federal executive and his successor intervened.
Alfaro was unable to string together a prayer to thank the work and fueled the complaints.
“It has been like this throughout the entire six-year term, because at the end of the day, Mr. President, there are still many people who hope to find a way forward for this country through confrontation.
“There are still many people who have not understood that we are in a moment that shows what can be achieved… please,” he said, turning resignedly to look at the president and his successor.
It was then that AMLO and Sheinbaum went to the lectern and asked that the MC member be allowed to speak.
“It’s a good day today, isn’t it?” Sheinbaum asked.
“Yes,” the audience responded.
“Well, let’s let the governor of Jalisco speak, okay? Who agrees with the governor of Jalisco speaking? I do.
“Go ahead, Governor,” he conceded, but the President took the floor.
“I also agree that we should all listen to each other, all of us, democracy is pluralism, it is not a single thought, that is dictatorship.
“In a democracy we have to learn to respect everyone’s opinions and with an event as important as this, we are going to show that the most important thing of all is the people and the country, that is what is most important,” he added.
The boos followed, as did requests from others to remain silent.
Once again, Alfaro fanned the flames. And once again he was left in the dark as the shouts for and against continued. He thanked López Obrador, wanted to remind them that they were once on the same side, and went back to the charge.
#AMLO #Claudia #rescue #Alfaro
