Seriously Funny: Mexican Political Jokes as Social Resistance

4. Political Jokes against Mexican Presidents

121 chapter four Political Jokes against Mexican Presidents Once upon a time Carlos Salinas and Cecilia Occeli were celebrating their silver wedding anniversary and their sixtieth birthdays. During the celebration they had a visit from a fairy godmother, who said: “As a prize for having a model marriage for twenty-five years, I give you each one wish.” “I want to take a trip around the world with my dear husband!” Cecilia requested. The Fairy waved the magic wand and . . . Abracadabra! The tickets appeared in the hands of the woman. Then it was Carlitos’ [diminutive for Carlos] Orejas [Spanish for ears—nicknamed so because of his big protruding ears] de Gortari; he thought for a moment and said: “Very well, this moment is very romantic but an opportunity like this comes along once in a lifetime. For this reason . . . forgive me my love, but . . . my wish is to have a woman 30 years younger than me, someone like Adela Noriega. . . .” Cecilia was shocked, but a wish is a wish. The fairy waved her magic wand and . . . Abracadabra! Carlitos Orejas [“Big ears”] de Gortari became a ninety year old!!! The moral of the story: Salinas is an ass, but fairy godmothers . . . are female! Introduction Political jokes concentrate on symbols of power, and in Mexico, the most powerful symbol is the president: he finds himself on top of the pyramid of power, symbolizing and personifying the secrets and mysteries of power, and commonly known as omnipotent. Conspiracies are born from power circles around him, and it is he who dispenses favors and political and 122 • Chapter 4 economic rewards to such a degree that in the Mexican political vernacular , he cuts the cake, he makes or breaks careers—that is to say, he is the one. It’s common that when a new government or administration begins, politicians find out who got what position or what was said to whom. We’re in a system in which the chief or president, who in this case is the supreme leader, grants the positions. This is the patrimonial stamp of the Mexican political system.1 A place or position exists to be filled, since from it springs a system of complicities serving, among other things, to finance political activities and support the political apparatus. In this way, said patrimony reaches much further than politics, into a wide gamut of activities. Every person who is able to use the country in a patrimonial manner will do so. This reinforces the lack of civic conscience, because the nation is used without social commitment, and those who do it are more interested in getting themselves a godfather or a protector than in ensuring social, civil, and political rights. As a result of the high degree of centralization in Mexico, public business not only takes place in the shadow of the president—it emanates from him. It shouldn’t surprise us, therefore, that he should be the primary symbol of abuse and excess of power. This image is passed on to his collaborators because they are expected to behave like their boss, who is their role model. If the president is corrupt, we can deduce that they will follow in his footsteps . The following riddle exemplifies this: It is a play. First act: Miguel Alemán appears with his collaborators. Second Act: Miguel Alemán appears with his friends. Third Act: Miguel Alemán appears with his family. What is title of the play? Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. In my research into political perception as reflected in humor, I have found that humor has emphasized the traumatic historical events of Mexico , as well as the power of the head of state. Jokes specifically have helped perpetuate and record the negative impact that traumatic historical events have had on Mexican culture. Throughout Mexican history, the concentration of power has been one of the main characteristics of political domination. During the twentieth century , political power was concentrated in the president, turning him into a symbol of oppression—and resulting in an abundance of presidential jokes. Political Jokes against Mexican Presidents • 123 There is evidence of the great social rejection of the strong presidencies that emerged in the nineteenth century, culminating with the dictatorship of Porfirio Díaz, whose model continued through the revolutionary and PRI governments of the twentieth century. The consolidation of the presidency was accompanied by the concentration of power and its abuse over...