I have started acting like a press secretary for a news-challenged candidate.
Ever since I decided to move to Mexico, I read every news story with a jaundiced, but interested, eye. I am usually paid back with tales of drugs, kidnappings, beheadings, and corruption. It is almost like hearing women discuss their first husbands.
But I know there is always one source that will provide an objective view of Mexico with all of its glory and warts -- The Economist.
I opened the current edition to find a story about democracy in Latin America, with several accompanying polls. The polls were designed to determine how the public in each of 18 Latin American countries view democracy within their borders.
The result for Mexico is a mixed bag.
First, the bad news. The pollsters asked: "How satisfied are you with the way democracy works in your country?" The further the balls are to the left, the more pessimistic the responders.
Ever since I decided to move to Mexico, I read every news story with a jaundiced, but interested, eye. I am usually paid back with tales of drugs, kidnappings, beheadings, and corruption. It is almost like hearing women discuss their first husbands.
But I know there is always one source that will provide an objective view of Mexico with all of its glory and warts -- The Economist.
I opened the current edition to find a story about democracy in Latin America, with several accompanying polls. The polls were designed to determine how the public in each of 18 Latin American countries view democracy within their borders.
The result for Mexico is a mixed bag.
First, the bad news. The pollsters asked: "How satisfied are you with the way democracy works in your country?" The further the balls are to the left, the more pessimistic the responders.
If the poll is to believed, only people in Paraguay and Peru are less optimistic about the way democracy works in their country than are Mexicans. And, taking into account that democracy is as new to Paraguay as brevity is to Joe Biden, the result is hardly something to cheer about. (I had a friend from Arkansas who, when seeing his state listed in similar ratings would say: "Thank heavens for Mississippi.")
Why such pessimism about the way democracy works in Mexico? When you are a recovering one-party autocracy, it takes time to build confidence. And the afore-mentioned tales of drugs, kidnappings, beheadings, and corruption? They, of course, are real. Hardly the stuff that makes you to write home about how well the city council is doing.
The next two questions were designed to elicit the respondents' belief that democracy or authoritarianism are preferable types of government.
This one surprised me. Only 43% of Mexicans polled believed that democracy was a preferable form of government. Only the people of Guatemala had a lower opinion of democracy. And when you consider Guatemala's recent political history, that is hardly a compliment.
At least, only 15% of Mexicans were willing to fall back on authoritarianism as an alternative to democracy. Latin American countries with recent military dictatorships had far higher percentages in this category.
So, what do the numbers mean? Mexicans believe that democracy is not working well for them, that they are not very optimistic that it will work for them, but that the alternative of a man on a white horse is not their cup of hot chocolate. Until recently, they were satisfied with whatever pleasant technocrat their single party would give them.
Taking into account Mexico's recent history that resulted in the Revolution (an event being celebrated this week), the poll results are predictable.
There is an old Mel Brooks' song: "Hope for the Best, Expect the Worst." The more I learn about Mexico, that could easily become a daily tune.
