His last Cry ended with a cheer for the Fourth Transformation, as he has called his six-year term. Hours earlier he had signed the promulgation of the judicial reform approved by the federal Congress and by 24 state congresses to seal his six-year term.
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador delivered 25 speeches before a packed Zócalo from which cries of support emanated.
The federal president presided over the ceremony of the 214th anniversary of the historic event, just 15 days before the end of his government. On an adjacent balcony was President-elect Claudia Sheinbaum with her husband Jesús María Tarriba.
Compared to the speeches of previous years, the Chief Executive included four new elements, including “Long live the Fourth Transformation!”, and once again called for the death of corruption, greed, racism and discrimination.
At the end of the Grito, the Tabasco native rang the Dolores bell 61 times, a number greater than other times. Then he watched the fireworks and, for the first time in the Zócalo, a drone show that formed the words Gracias and México. From the central platform came shouts of “It’s an honor to be with Obrador!” and “Don’t go, don’t go!” The crowd held out for hours despite the downpour before the ceremony. From 7 p.m. the Zócalo was practically full. With her left fist raised, Sheinbaum accompanied the shouts of the Tabasco native’s supporters. Another harangue was launched by the crowd from the platform: “Yes, we could, yes, we could!” From the central balcony of the National Palace, López Obrador pointed with his index finger at his successor and the Morena member responded to the wink and also pointed at the Tabasco native with her index finger. On the same balcony were the elected Head of Government of Mexico City, Clara Brugada, and the Secretaries of Defense, Luis Cresencio Sandoval, and of the Navy, José Rafael Ojeda, and Martí Batres with his wife. The next President – and the rest of the guests – entered the Ambassadors Hall at 11:26 p.m., one minute after López Obrador did. For the first time, there were two Presidents in the traditional ceremony on September 15: the acting President and the President-elect. This Monday, Claudia Sheinbaum will also participate in the ceremony prior to the traditional military parade for Independence Day.
Muscle and farewell
The spontaneous mobilization of citizens who attend the Grito every year was joined by the structures of Morena and the Servidores de la Nación, who brought thousands of beneficiaries of the Welfare programs. There were no protests with dozens of green lasers pointed at the President’s face, as happened with the PAN’s Felipe Calderón in 2012. Nor were the cheerleaders brought from the State of Mexico placed at the front, as happened in 2018, with the PRI’s Enrique Peña Nieto. And despite the violence, the missing persons, the health lag, the increase in prices, the nervousness of the markets or the concerns of commercial partners, the popularity of the Tabasco native always seems to be at the top in the square. “It is an honor to be with Obrador!” was heard insistently. The Head of the federal Executive arrived at the celebrations in the middle of the confrontation with the Judicial Branch, whose representatives were not invited to participate, for the second consecutive year. He appeared on the balcony with his judicial reform completed, ready to go into effect today, which will force judges, magistrates and ministers to seek votes at the polls. The President had already anticipated that there would be a message in defense of national sovereignty. A speech that resonated in front of a full Zócalo, just when the Mexican government is keeping relations with the United States Embassy on hold, after accusing it of engaging in a “crude interventionist attitude.” No diplomat was invited to the ceremony, not even the American Ken Salazar, who just two days ago congratulated Mexicans for “sharing democratic values” and because “we are family.” Bilateral tensions, officially blamed on criticism of the judicial reform, soared after the capture in July of drug traffickers Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquín Guzmán López. This Sunday, the settling of scores caused by these arrests prevented the people of Sinaloa from celebrating their independence in the streets. In the face of gunfire, drug blockades and executions, the celebrations were cancelled. Ironically, the stars of the night in the centre of the country were the members of the Banda MS, originally from that state and who opened their repertoire with “El Sinaloense”. With 24 governorships in their pocket and assured continuity in the Presidency, the cry seemed to be that of “electoral drunkenness”, of the euphoria of the “full car” and of qualified majorities at any cost, even if it is necessary to resort to politicians like the Yunes, who managed to go from “corrupt” to “patriots” with a single vote. The concentration in the Zócalo was the last led by López Obrador, who will dedicate the next few days to closing and handing over the Government, and then retiring from public life. Celebration, muscle and farewell
AMLO’s speeches in 2024
1. Independence 2. Miguel Hidalgo 3. Josefa Ortiz 4. Ignacio Allende 5. Leona Vicario 6. José María Morelos 7. Vicente Guerrero 8. The anonymous heroines and heroes 9. Freedom 10. Equality 11. Justice 12. Democracy 13. Our sovereignty 14. Universal brotherhood 15. Death to Corruption 16. Death to Greed 17. Death to Racism 18. Death to Discrimination 19. Love 20. Mexican workers who are among the best in the world 21. Our migrant brothers 22. Indigenous peoples 23. Cultural greatness of Mexico 24. All Mexicans 25. The Fourth Transformation
#AMLO #shout #dedicates
