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Re: Ejercito Mexicano y su papel en Chiapas


> What Aguayo says, and I think he may be right on the point, is 
> that after Tlaltelolco in 1968, the army has become increasingly 
> wary of its use as a repressive instrument against society, 
> and has made it known explicitly to the government, as 
> the May 5 speech by the Secretary of Defense shows. It is 
> this idea what is so radical because, if it is true, it means 
> that the army may some day accept a democratic society. 

> Although it is true that the army has created a state of 
> terror in Chiapas, the present state of affairs can not 
> be compared to the situation that prevailed in the sixties in Mexico. 
> What we must ask ourselves is: "what has the left accomplished 
> since then in terms of reducing the repressive powers of the state?" 
> If the answer is "nothing", then it would be very hard to justify 
> a continuation of any struggle. 


I've reread the May 5 speech (extracts are included below) and I can't 
find any explicit (or implicit) statement to the government that the army 
will refuse to be used as a repressive instrument.  Maybe in another  
chronicle of the event?   Now, I do see huge accomplishments in  
reducing-controling the repressive instruments, and although the left 
has been a very important component of this I can't see it can take all  
the credit.

Lastly, in my opinion the main issue regarding the army and democracy is  
if they would some day refuse to back up the abuse of power of the  
government-PRI when they lost an election but are unwilling to accept  
their defeat.  Obviously, the *one* that matters.  In 1988 we had an 
instance, they didn't state they would not support the government-PRI's 
ilegal moves that we all saw happening, and they even helped, for the 
sake of state reasons, so everything could remained the same.  Ok, I do 
admit that maybe Cardenas did not win, but the same can be said of Salinas.   

Just six years ago, have they change so much?

Hugo


--extracts of the May 5 speech (sorry, no translation)

   La Jornada 6 de mayo de 1995

   El general habl'o de la ``prudencia y el temple'' con que el Ejecutivo
   se ha manejado en las actuales circunstancias y advirti'o que frente a
   las provocaciones ``abiertas o insinuadas'' su gobierno no caer'a en el
   desconcierto, el autoritarismo o la claudicaci'on.

   Muy lejos de los cl'asicos discursos de anteriores secretarios de la
   Defensa, que se concretaban a ratificar su adhesi'on a las
   instituciones, en pocas, poqu'isimas palabras, Cervantes plasm'o
   conceptos. As'i, por ejemplo, dijo ante Zedillo que ``la historia es
   mucho m'as que la econom'ia''.

   Explic'o: ``Es la fuerza moral de la sociedad en movimiento que pervive
   y avanza a veces con grandes dificultades, como aquel 5 de mayo''.

   Con voz pausada, Cervantes marcaba intenciones. Expres'o al mandatario:
   ``Comprobamos que usted sabe mantenerse fiel a la raz'on del derecho y
   al inter'es colectivo y pac'ifico de la naci'on. As'i, fortalece a M'exico,
   lo cohesiona y armoniza, lo conduce bien y se deja, asimismo,
   fortalecer por M'exico''.

   ``Sabemos que enfrenta momentos dif'iciles, pero nos consta que ha
   demostrado estatura, talento y patriotismo para sortearlos''.

   Enseguida, lo que constituy'o la parte medular de su mensaje: ``No est'a
   solo, la mayor'ia de los mexicanos tiene plena fe en usted, al igual
   que todos nosotros, soldados con compromiso de lealtad''.

   ``Hoy, los ca~nones han enmudecido para dar paso a la paz y a la
   concordia, condici'on fundamental del progreso de la patria, pero los
   hombres de la artiller'ia, que desfilan ante ustedes, se mantienen
   adiestrados para dejar escuchar, si la naci'on lo demanda, su ronca voz
   en la defensa de los intereses nacionales''.

   ``Con ello fortaleceremos el esp'iritu, renovaremos la energ'ia,
   mantendremos la honradez y fidelidad a M'exico y as'i nos conduciremos a
   la superaci'on''.

   general defini'o: ``Nos recuerda que nuestra historia ha sido dif'icil,
   'aspera y plena de amagos de las m'as variadas proveniencias,
   ciertamente; pero tambi'en que sabemos y podemos resistir, luchar,
   triunfar y subsistir cuando hay valor y lealtad a la naci'on''.
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