Silence is eloquent in politics, but less dangerous than words.
José Francisco Ruiz Massieu
Since Guadalupe Victoria, the first president of Mexico, the tradition of the head of the executive going to the seat of the legislature and giving a message to the nation was adopted, a practice that, towards the end of the last century and the beginning of the current one, was becoming a celebration and tribute to whoever held that position, a situation that raised criticism and controversy.
Reporting to the legislature by the head of the executive branch is a form of checks and balances that emerged in Britain and was also adopted in the United States. In the case of Great Britain, its system is parliamentary and the head of its executive falls to the prime minister, who is responsible to parliament for managing it, a body that can remove it if a vote of no confidence is given. In the United States, a presidential system was adopted whose head has the double function of head of state and head of government, has the power to freely remove office secretaries who, like the president, are not responsible to the legislative body, nor Congress has the power to give it a vote of no confidence.
The political organization of the Mexican State took the American model and adopted the accountability of the president in the form of the government report.
The Federal Constitution of 1824 established that on January 1 the General Congress would meet and that the president would attend to deliver a speech that would be answered in general terms by the president of Congress, the Constitution of 1857 also provided for it in that way and in the In 1917, it was established that the President of the Republic would attend the opening of both ordinary and extraordinary sessions of the Congress of the Union and that, in the first session, he would present a written report on the state of the country’s public administration.
The first Organic Law of the General Congress of the United Mexican States, of 1979, established that on September 1 of each year the two Chambers would meet jointly in the Chamber of Deputies. The President would attend the opening sessions of Congress and present his report, to which the President of Congress would reply in concise and general terms and said report would be analyzed by the chambers in subsequent sessions.
The format of the Report was maintained, with some modifications, the use of the floor by federal legislators for each of the political parties was foreseen and that during the presentation of the report there would be no interventions or interruptions by legislators. However, the aforementioned rule was violated many times and a growing and constant incivility arose among deputies and senators opposed to the ruling party, who dedicated themselves to obstructing and boycotting the president during his appearance to render his annual government report. The president was made the object of aggressions and actions, even to prevent his access to the parliamentary premises, in such a way that it was decided to amend the Constitution to eliminate the obligation of the President of the Republic to present himself at the opening of the first period of sessions of the Congress of every year and, since then, it only sends the written report. It was the appearance of the President of the Republic to address the Congress of the Union to expose and deliver in writing the report in which he realized the state of the public administration. Now the legislative power only receives the President of the Republic when protesting his office and delivering the presidential sash.
The suppression of the obligation of the President of the Republic to attend the opening of the beginning of the ordinary sessions of the first period of Congress had as its main purpose to prevent the president from speaking. This is how the unnecessary constitutional reform of 2008 foresees it, since the constitutional norm established that the president should go to present the report on the state of the public administration, not to read it.
The modification to the format was also due to criticism of the so-called “president’s day” that was a constant in the political life of Mexico. However, there are various voices that agree on the importance of restoring the presidential appearance before the Legislative Power so that he renders his government report in order to resume a respectful dialogue that strengthens public activity and the balance of powers.
It is strange that, given President López Obrador’s great love of communicating, the format of going to the Congress of the Union to render his Government reports on September 1 of each year from the highest tribune of our country has not been restored. , this despite the fact that there are initiatives by related legislators, in that sense.
The propaganda apparatus at the service of the tenant of the National Palace is dedicated to disseminating its messages to announce the aforementioned report, prior to the 1st of each September.
For his first report, his announcement was “Not to brag, but I am a man of my word” as well as “Commitments are fulfilled”; for the second there was no specific statement and its promotional message consisted of “We are rescuing the electricity sector”, “we are pacifying the country” and “we are already raising the popular economy”, it was implicitly recognized that there had been no progress in complying with the goals set, and for the third report the promotional was released: “Deeds, not words”.
Promotional advertisements for the fourth report began to circulate recently, which seem to have been designed to fuel division and polarization: “we are not equal” and the one that begins with “during neoliberal governments” to disqualify actions carried out during previous administrations, Ads that begin with phrases such as “Before, bankers and businessmen were rescued” are also included. He also announces some measures of his government, such as those related to the pension for older adults, the elimination of pensions for former presidents, the creation of the National Guard, the construction of the Dos Bocas refinery and the Felipe Ángeles Airport, with false messages and in some cases distorting the real situation that prevails in the country, whose purpose is to mislead the public.
Since the presidential obligation to present his report to the Congress of the Union was cancelled, the heads of the executive have chosen to organize an event that intends to replace the ceremony of the report that the Constitution provided for and instead of addressing the nation from the most high national tribune, they chose to organize a personality cult event in which he gives a speech related to the annual report sent to the Congress of the Union. Only supporters of the president are invited and it is also broadcast electronically. This Thursday, September 1, said event will be organized at the National Palace, an event that is not planned or regulated in any legal provision.
It is desirable that the President of the Republic improve the quality of his speech with realism and truthfulness, and that he objectively be receptive to different ideas and opinions and that he promptly respond to the questions that are presented to him.
It is essential that the president remember that he belongs to all Mexicans and therefore it is essential that he take care of the investiture. Exposing yourself daily is a sign of contempt for the country. Signs of growing intolerance persist in more and more sectors that could put the person of the President of the Republic at risk.
Approaching the last third of the current administration, it is worth asking ourselves: Who are we? And what are we becoming?
Let us not allow cordiality to continue to be lost and the culture of peace to be ignored.
It is necessary to choose paths of non-confrontation to leave violence behind and evolve as people, as a social fabric and as a country.
*The author is a lawyer, negotiator and mediator.
phmergoldd@anmediacion.com.mx
Twitter: @Phmergoldd
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