For several decades Mexicans have amused foreign visitors with this joke which as well as raising a guffaw puts the people’s shoulder-shrugging acceptance of endemic corruption here in Mexico City into ironic perspective.
Pepe and Jose are sitting at a bar in a cantina watching television as a leading candidate in the upcoming presidential elections claims how clean his administration would be.
‘Amigos,’ he says. ‘If you vote for me I swear on the Virgin of Guadeloupe that I will take not one peso more for myself than the president’s official wage. I will not appoint any ministers who do not honour the same vow. Nor will I give any posts in high office to any of my family.’
Whereupon Jose turns to Pepe, downs another shot of tequila and asks: ‘Who would vote for an idiot like that?’
Corruption, however, is no longer a laughing matter in this vibrant but volatile country. Not when 97 per cent of the national wealth is thought to be in the bank accounts of one per cent of the population of roughly 134 million. Certainly not funny for its first female President.
Not when Senora Claudia Scheinbaum is said to be uncertain about attending the first match of Mexico’s record third hosting of World Cups. Even though she is expected also to preside over the lavish inauguration ceremony which precedes Mexico’s curtain-raiser against South Africa. The concern is whether she will be subjected to mass haranguing by the crowd. Or worse.
Mexico’s union of teachers hold a demonstration in Mexico City against their pay and object to the country spending money hosting the World Cup
Protestors make their feelings about the country hosting the World Cup clear
The greatest sporting event on earth starts in a nation of widespread poverty and political loathing, mass deaths and disappearances. Only the blazing passion for football offers hope of a spectacular, undisturbed send-off for the tournament.
Or even of its opening taking place at all. Such is the public resentment of multi millions of dollars being spent on this event. The union of teachers followed up a demonstration by burning giant pictures of headline players at ‘Mexico 26’ on a city centre avenue from where photographs of ‘the disappeared’ had been torn down by officials.
There is talk everywhere of several unions, the underpaid, the unemployed, the homeless and inexplicably bereaved families rallying to prevent access to the Azteca Stadium.
The truck drivers are threatening to bring their lorries to the blockade. Echoes of the spirit of our farmers clogging the streets of Westminster. The stark difference is their claim that little or nothing is being done to prevent drivers being dragged from their cabs on open roads and killed when they are held up and robbed.
The drug lords and the gangs are at the nerve centre of a crisis which it has to be admitted is a nightmare to solve. Their numbers and their brutality grow by the day.
In the hills above Guadalajara, where Mexico will play their second group game against South Korea, bodies of men and women who had simply vanished, are being dug out of shallow graves. Many are facially recognisable because they are gruesomely mummified by natural elements of the ashy ground. These scenes are repeated all over the country.
In the notoriously violent state of Guererro some 16,000 people have gone missing in the past few days. In Acapulco, the queen of its resorts, the killing and kidnapping are of such an order that although the rich and famous still go to their fabulous cliffside homes to gaze at that spectacular bay they rarely leave the protection of steel fencing and security guards until it is time to return to the cities.
Los Cabos, the western peninsular playground of American celebrities and tycoons paying up to $10,000 for a round of golf, is said this week to have become the last haven assailed by a cartel. But only now is a different explanation than kidnapping for the vanishing being ventured: People trafficking on an industrial scale.
There is talk everywhere of several unions, the underpaid, the unemployed, the homeless and inexplicably bereaved families rallying to prevent access to the Azteca Stadium for tonight’s opening World Cup match
Mexico City Police come out in force to deal with the protests
By and large tourists are not targeted. Trafficking makes much more money than ransoming and if that information is correct, visitors should be even safer, assuming they are sensible where they go. World Cup fans are unlikely to fall foul of organised crime. The greater risk may be getting drunk and disorderly, unless they carry enough cash to cross the hands of the police.
The Scheinbaum government has taken to paying registered families 200 pesos a day living allowance. Roughly £10 is welcome but does not keep pace with sharply rising prices.
The greater likelihood is that the World Cup launch will be a priority of pride for a football loving people and that the bid for glory will override political unrest in the coming days. The omens have become more encouraging in recent weeks. Mexico’s highest World Cup achievements thus far have been reaching the quarter-finals of the previous two tournaments they hosted, in 1970 and 1986.
They are no longer blessed with the world class skills of their greatest star Hugo Sanchez who had a triumphant career at Real Madrid, majestic multiple La Liga-winning Barcelona centre back Rafael Marquez or their all-time record goalscorer Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez who rattled in plenty at Manchester United. But recent omens are promising.
Third-time manager Javier Aguirre is proving most adept at organising and motivating a group of talented footballers. Their squad includes a healthy-looking mix of experience and youth. Also players hardened in overseas leagues – such as Wolves striker Raul Jimenez — as well as home-based favourites.
Mexico’s squad includes a healthy-looking mix of experience and youth. Also players hardened in overseas leagues – such as Wolves striker Raul Jimenez — as well as home-based favourites
Mexico’s head coach Javier Aguirre (left) shares a joke with his players during a training session as part of their pre-World Cup camp in Mexico City
Mexico have high hopes for their young attacking midfielder Gilberto Mora, who is just 17
At one end of the blend even a few minutes on the pitch will give beloved goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa the distinction of playing in six World Cups. At the other, brilliant 17-year-old attacking midfielder Gilberto Mora just may outshine the rush of more feted sub-20-year-olds, Spain’s Lamine Yamal included.
A third last-eight is not out of the question. Not given the rip-roaring atmosphere the Azteca will generate, politics permitting. England may have to enter that cauldron in Round of 16 if group results fall that way.
Mexico are high on confidence after an eight-match winning streak in the build up was climaxed by a 5-1 thrashing of Serbia in their last friendly at the weekend.
Football always talks about how the game acts as a bonding agent and unifying spirit in the world. A euphoric run for glory might do more, much more, to unite this troubled and divided nation than any president or politician.
