¡Luz Elena Patricio García para presidenta!

16 May 2015

tags: rabble-rousers, Speaking truth to power

It’s a shame Luz Elena Patricio García isn’t of voting age. At a talent show in Ciudad Juaréz, the junior high student showed off her flair for rhetoric before an audience including — on stage — Governor César Duarte Jáquez. Luz Elena launched into a spirited denunciation not just of corruption in politics generally, but of the Governor and his cabal in particular.

While His “Honor” was able to applaud lines like:

“These fourth-rate politicians misuse tax revenues, squander what belongs to us for their personal benefit instead of completing public works for the benefit of our communities.

“Our country is being left crippled. . . .

“If you think that we young people are unaware of the problems, allow me to set you straight, because we are the ones most affected by corruption, and of course we know and we understand every move you make. Not all youths are ignorant, and we know that corruption continues to grow…”

… perhaps he was merely confused, or dazzled, or just chose to overlook the fact that she explicitly excluded politicians when she finished up her oration with a paean to the people … the honest Mexicans, not the politicians, who wish for health, happiness and prosperity.

Ok, so maybe — expressing the kinds of opinions she does — Luz Elena isn’t cut out to run for office. But, she has my vote as rabble rouser of the year (and this being an election year, there’s a whole lotta rousin’ going on) and best wishes for a future as the Mxican la Pasionaria, or Mother Jones.