Leticia Amijo, Coyolxauhqui: Requiem de Cuerpo Presente

I've been avoiding to get into the Mexican arena because as usual, everything looks like a Coyolxauhqui [click image on the left to know her story]: a reality of dismembered bodies found in Veracruz, old demons and ancient powers have created a terrible spike of violence in different states around the country during the state election period that ends today.

As for us, living in the capital city, we also had a pending civic duty. One I completely forgot to take care of properly. Today, at 2 p.m., somebody whatsapped: "Did you guys already vote?" I frowned. "Vote?" I asked. "Yes, for the Constitutional Assembly..."

I guess I have been distracted around issues in other countries rather than mine.

"Voting ends at 6 p.m.!" I felt a rush, one that can only be described as the one you experience when someone lets you know 4 hours before, there's a mid-term exam. I opened my laptop, looked at the clock and waved goodbye to the Anish Kapoor show I wanted to go to. "I can do this", I thought to myself.

First things first, and an introduction. These state elections were accompanied by an additional vote from the Mexicans of the capital city. If I remember correctly, a few months ago, in a not so advertised event, Mexico City became part of the 31 states in a Republic and stopped being a federal district. Way before that event, in an even less advertised constitutional reform (link in Spanish), this shiny 32nd state was going to need a new constitution and for that exercise, a new way of electing the candidates to write it up.

Here's how the things went down in number of (14) deputies and (14) senators chosen by the Mexican Congress: 12 PRI, 7 PAN, PRD 4, PV 2, PT 1, Morena 1 and MC 1. This makes a number of 28 people.

By a perverse twist of events 6 representatives are to be appointed by President Peña Nieto's finger and 6 other by the city's mayor, Miguel A. Mancera. That sums 40 of the people already assigned by the government which leaves we, the people, 60 candidates to choose from almost 550.

That is the reason we were invited to vote for today. I immediately went to the INE's website to look up for our potential representatives.

ine.mx

From almost 548 candidates, only 367 people uploaded and published their files in this website. Which meant, some of these people didn't even bother to accomplish one simple task which is to present their ideas on an electronic platform.

At the same time, I also heard about sabervotar, a platform that I quickly checked out but couldn't find out who was behind it so I discarded their info.

I thought it was hilarious emoticons were used to express the points of view from a party or a independent candidate. I guess the more democratic the nation is, the less apples and oranges kind of information is displayed for their citizens?

Three more things also grabbed my attention. The first, in regards to honesty/transparency issues, this confused emoticon  (which means lack of information) is on every political party (5th row from left to right).

Second, the fact one of the candidate's strong points is that he is the son of "Doctor Ahorro" and cousin of "Doctor Simi", two of the main popular pharmacy stores in Mexico.

And third, did these candidates really leave enough information for us to get to know them better? 

Why bother to write these obvious answers and just simplify to Because I think so to the question Why am I a candidate?

Time was ticking and I was getting distracted but quickly found votoinformado developed by the Mexican National Autonomous University (UNAM) and the IEDF where 505 of the same 548 candidates had dutifully uploaded the answers to one questionnaire divided in 9 blocks! Eureka.

Here you could actually see what they thought about, in regards to specific questions, for example: How happy are you with the process to elect the candidates and deputies for the constitutional assembly?

Two more stops to some news online I usually consult and that was it! Five and ten minutes. I had to run to make it to the ballot box that closed at 6.

While this commission is temporary, one has to remember these 60 people will help define the future of our nation for the next 100 or 200 years. I can't understand the apathy that was expected for (the annulling of) these votes but I was also, almost left out because I was distracted, because I also thought, maybe unconsciously, not even these 60 people may be able to shape anything in my dismembered, effort abated, careless nation. But then again, if we don't even try, then we loose the right to complain about the state of affairs we didn't care of in the first place.