Long Live Populism
Diego Martín Velázquez Caballero
Mexican political culture, in its essence, remains clientelistic and paternalistic.
This means that many citizens still see the State as a source of resources and protection, beyond the principles of representation and democratic participation corresponding to the liberal vision.
Government management, in this framework, is based not only on the implementation of public policies, but also on the survival of marginalized groups, who find in the State and its leaders a way to subsist and maintain their living conditions.
As long as this remains the case, political power in Mexico will be able to remain stable, even in the face of criticism and serious challenges such as U.S. imperialism.
Political culture in Latin America, including Mexico, has historically been populist and caudillo-led, and a mere simulation of U.S. presidentialism.
These characteristics, far from being mere vestiges of the past, remain essential components of the functioning of populist progressive regimes in the region.
In Mexico, populism has remained thriving, adapting to the times and consolidating a system in which the figure of the charismatic leader and the direct relationship with the social base remain fundamental.
Despite the criticisms leveled at the so-called Fourth Transformation, Claudia Sheinbaum's celebration and Morena's advance in this context actually have significant meaning: in a scenario where the opposition fails to offer clear and viable alternatives, the ruling movement continues to advance because it responds to the expectations and basic needs of broad sectors of the population.
Morena's advance and the support for its leaders have a social foundation that cannot be ignored.
Mexican political culture, in its most deeply rooted form, remains sufficient to sustain a system where loyalty and the expectation of immediate benefits prevail over proposals for structural change.
The servitude and vassalage instilled by the Spanish colonial regime—as AMLO states— Although complemented by an authoritarian, indigenous-style political bossism, these are fundamental elements for populist governance.
The opposition, for its part, has yet to offer a convincing project that mobilizes these same roots, allowing populism to remain an effective form of governance in Mexico.
