The Mex Files

I have always been bothered by the misconception that PAN was a pro-democracy party, and that their victory in the 2000 Presidential election represented a forward movement for Mexico. First of all, it was the PRD that forced the country to open itself up politically, basically by trading off their “loss” in 1988 for political reforms.

PAN had been around since the 1930s, basically allowed to function to keep the reactionaries within the Mexican political system, and out of the guerrilla movements of the 1920s and early 30s. Being pro-heirachy and control-freaks (and anti-unionists to boot), naturally they appealed to the industrialists in the North, and when the democratic opening came in the 90s, were in a position to take advantage of it. With a healthy assist from the right-wing of the U.S. Republican Party (it was Jesse Helms of North Carolina who claimed Vicente Fox “ended 71 years of one-party rule” and Republican Party operatives who developed his U.S. style campaign) and Helms’ continual harping on every PAN loss as “proof” of PRI corruption (while ignoring things like the assassination of PRD organizers, or their election losses), PAN nearly became the main party in Mexico.

Like the far-right U.S. Republicans, they tended to overstep their mandate, and have been losing power, though they still control the administration (whether by honest close election or otherwise). Their fascist roots are no secret, though WE tend to ignore them. When Marta Sahagun de Fox was seriously mentioned as a Presidential candidate, U.S. reporters could only think of Hillary Clinton (a spouse with political ambitions), though Señora Fox — and everyone in Latin America — had another famous First Lady in mind… Eva Peron.

Marta’s so-called charity, “Vamos Mexico,” was openly modelled on Peron’s “Fundacion Eva Peron” — right down to the shakedowns, incessant propaganda and rampant corruption. As far as I can recall, the only charitable action (reported day after day after day… followed by commercials for Vamos Mexico) was to give bicycles to students in isolated rural areas. Mostly, it gave expensive gifts to its own leaders, spending more on administrative fees than it took in as reported donations.

If you look through the biographies of the Fox and Calderón cabinet secretaries, it’s surprising how many are either descendants of Porfirio Diaz-era landowners (Santiago Creel was a two-fer: a Creel, and a descendant of U.S. Grant) or from Synarchist families. I felt a little better about Felipe Calderón when I learned his own dad had quit PAN because of its Fascist tendencies, but the party still has more than its share of Synarchists, Francoists, ultra-montane Catholics and other odd rightists.

In a way, this article was no surprise. It’s long, and I didn’t so much translate it, as boil it down a little. It first appeared in the May 2007 Milenio Revista, and was reprinted by FLASCO Mexico

Supported by the Catholic ultra-right, Nazi and Fascist groups are growing in Mexico. Forced underground during the PRI era, they openly identify with the Felipe Calderón government and have taken to the streets to push their ideology…

In Mexico, Nazi and Fasicst moverments were in the hands of the Catholic ultra right – the old Cristero and Sinarquist movements, as well as Francoists. … According to reseacher Edgar González Ruiz, these groups make common cause with the Catholic hierachy, adding gay marriage and abortion legalization to what they claim is a “Jewish-Masonic plot”

Since the 1930s there have been extremist Catholics who found the totalitarian systems of Hitler, Benito Mussolini and especially Francisco Franco congenial to their own world-view. Adopting Hilter’s ideas to Latin America is not a new concept, González says, though joining in anti-gay and “right to life” demonstrations in support of the Church is a new role for the Nazis.

The Nazis themselves seem largely limited to the Internet. Mexican researchers have very information on neo-nazis within the country, and most organizations are unknown. The few known nazi sympathizers are mostly limited to web sites, featuring the expected attacks on abortion, lesbians, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the United States and Zionism.

Militants from the Partido Nacional Socialista (PNS) appeared on the streets of the Federal District during the recent debate over legalizing abortion. Overtly violent, they made common cause with the anti-abortion groups. UR, a non-catholic Fascist group going back to 1930s Italy, has joined pilgramages to the Basilica of Guadalupe, and has appeared at the Metropolitan Cathedral, as well as in the Federal District’s Legislative Assembly. UR members dress in white shirts and black pants, carrying what they way is a “celtic” cross, normally identified with the Ku-Klux-Klan.

Although claiming to be a non-Catholic group, its first appearance was at a recitation of the Rosary at a public “right to life” rally. The group attended a mass said by Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera, during which they promenently flew their flag in the Basilica sanctuary.

The same flag was unfurled this past April 12, outside the Federal District Legislative Assembly. A right-wing activist and member of the Guardia Nacional Mexicana, was with the group, making death threats to Legislators if they voted to legalize abortion. De la Peña was denounced for these theats to the Federal Prosecutor, and PRD Deputy, Víctor Hugo Círigo, swore that the protestors were claiming the legislative vote was part of a “Jewish conspiracy.”

De la Peña may have been the total membership in the Guardia Nacional Mexicana, which hasn’t been heard of since he went underground. However, the UR has appeared at subsequent anti-abortion rallys in the Capital, and harassing Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social strikers (objecting to a new contract). They also have been shouting anti-semetic comments about IMSS director, Santiago Levy.

Much more wide-spread than Nazis or Fascists are Falagists, who take their cues from the Francisco Franco, and are associated with the most conservative forces in the Catholic Church.

Spanish Falangists in Mexico, together with the Sinarquists and members of various conservative Catholic movements were active members of PAN. PAN Secretary Carlos Abascal Carranza, and several business leaders active in the Party came out of these movements.There are a few other far-right groups, claiming ties to the Templars, the Knights of Malta and the Knights of Columbus, but the largest right-wing Catholic movement is the Francoist “ Movimiento de Cristo Rey” The group has four synarchist schools in Puebla, where they have held public receptions for José Luis Corral, the head of the Movimiento Católico Español and Acción Juvenil Español. Corral insisted to his audience on the need to political organize, gain power and write “Christian laws.”

Several participants at the event were wearing tee-shirts bearing Franciso Franco’s image, and photos of the Spanish dictator were promently displayed at the event.

Speaking in Cuernavaca, José Luis Corral told his audience that the Social Kingdom of Jesus Christ has a political dimension, and it is His will that countries with a Catholic majority (since as Spain and Mexico) are governed accordingly. He then called on the audience to organize and fight the state’s “unnatural” laws. A similar speech was later given in Toluca. In his Mexico City address, Corral assured his listeners that “Spain has destroyed the family, though divorce, free love, the gay agenda, pornography and immorality.”

For good measure, he added that “insecurity, terrorism, deliquency, domestic violence, abortion, drugs, euthanasia and the flag of the culture of death is worse than the Aztec Empire.”

Jorge Serrano Limón, Presidente of the ultra-right Provida, which has engaged in violent actions, claims he only knows about the Guardia Nacional Mexicana and similar groups from seeing them on television.

Serrano Limón speculates that these groups were set up by the PRD to discredit Catholics [Of course, Serrano Limón was also the guy who spent a government grant to promote birth-control on, tangas for himself and his male staff, that the "exposure" was a plot to discredit the Catholic Church, too -- something the Milenio article didn't bother to add, but I will.]

THANKS, Francisco!

Today is the 70th anniversary of Franco’s assumption of power as head of the Army and Head of State in Spain. This was one of the great tragedies of the last century, but Europe’s loss was Mexico’s gain.

Mexico was still recovering from the Revolution in 1936. Pre-revolutionary Mexico had depended on outside expertise for much of its industry and commerce.

Mexico’s extremely liberal asylum policies (if you could find a job, and you were fleeing political persecution, you were welcome to stay as long as you liked) and the Mexican government’s anti-fascist tilt (you can still claim automatic immigrant status if you’re fleeing a fascist state), meant Spain — and Europe’s — loss was Mexico’s gain. It wasn’t just artists and intellectuals like Luis Buñuel, but businessmen and engineers and ordinary workers arrived bringing needed skills at a time when the whole world was in a depression.

And they continued to come until Franco was dead. I had a student whose dad had come from Catalonia at 16 to avoid the draft. Santa Maria la Ribera, my Mexico City neighborhood, went from a conservative to a leftist stronghold, thanks in good part to cheap housing available in the 30s, and the large number of Spaniards (and later German, French, Polish and Dutch refugees) who found apartments in the neighborhood.

In the Franco Era, Mexico City was the center of Hispanic culture and arts. The Colegio de Mexico and Fondaction de Cultura, originally “Spanish Republican” institutes in exile, are major publishers and academic insitutes. It would be impossible to name all the Spanish cafes, publishers, art galleries dating from the Francoist era.

Mexico’s support for the Republic went beyond the “good Mexican bullets” Ernest Hemingway wrote of. The Republic still existed — as a government-in-exile in Mexico. The photo below has nothing to do with Mexico, but it shows the stupidity of that regime. Eva Peron, hardly a democrat, adn not the smartest economist on the planet still knew the basics. She was trying to sell Argentine wheat to Spain. “What for?” asked el caudillo? “So there’s something edible in your bread.” Evita replied.

For many years, Spaniards could receive Republican passports upon arrival, no questions asked. And come they did. Some were just hungry, and couldn’t afford Argentine wheat. Some, like Opus Dei supporters, wanted to implant Francoismo in Mexico. The county has become more conservative, but I have to admit that their flagship, Universidad de Anahuac, does turn out some smart alumni. Some — like Vincente Fox’s mother — were Basques who saw no future in Francoist Spain.

Basque culture survived, more, sometimes in Mexico than in the Basque country. In Mexico, Basques kept the language in literature alive. In the Basque country, persecuted beyond all reason, they became what are now called “terrorists”. However, the “Basque Terrorists” did the world a great favor. In 1974 when they blew up Franco’s successor, Luis Carrero Blanco, with a hundred kilos of dynamite under his armored Dodge Dart. Launched five stories straight up, and coming down on an apartment house, Carrero Blanco became Spain’s first astronaut. Thankfully, he didn’t survive the experience, and neither did Francoismo. There is some suggestion that Mexican Basques were involved in the operation.

Modern Spain is progressive (Franco probably hasn’t stopped spinning in his grave from the marriage of two gay air force officers — by a mayor who belongs to the successor party of the Falange earlier this year)and wealthy. The huge change it underwent after Franco’s death is due to two factors – my buddy, King Juan-Carlos took good advise, and the Mexico’s tolerant and liberal social (not political) climate kept Spanish culture alive during the 40 years of darkness.