Mexico: Much More Needed Than a March

Photo by Edgar Blancas and used under a Creative Commons license

Thousands of Mexicans in attendance for the march in Mexico City protested against the government's inability to halt kidnappings and violence against citizens. Similar marches were held in other cities around the country. Already some citizen's media videos have already been posted. Now, bloggers from the capital and in other cities across the country provide their reflections and reactions to the march. However, many do not see that much will change without other actions by civil society.

El Nahual of Mexico Para Los Mexicanos [es] is one that doesn't think that the march will make an immediate difference, but what is needed is a continued effort by all:

La marcha por si misma no resuelve las cosas y sólo es una señal de presión hacia el gobierno, pero esta presión social hacia el gobierno si es de sólo un día no funciona, debe de ser continua y a todos los niveles para que funcione. Salir, vestirse de blanco y encender una velita en la noche, es muy loable, pero no suficiente. Se necesita que todo el tiempo y continuamente le exijamos al gobierno, en todos sus niveles y expresiones, que realice su trabajo y que lo haga bien; y que nosotros cumplamos las leyes y señalemos a quienes no lo hacen. Se necesita que despierte la sociedad civil.

The march itself will not solve things, and it is only a sign of pressure on the government, but this one-day pressure on the government does not work, it should be continuous and at all levels for it to work. Taking to the streets, dressing in white and lighting a candle at night, is all very commendable, but it is not enough. What is needed is that we demand from the government at all levels, that it fulfills its job and it fulfills it well’ and that we respect the laws and draw attention to those that don't. Civil society needs to wake up.

Ana, a commenter on the blog Ocho Cuartos [es] responded to the question whether readers attended the march:

Yo quería marchar no pq creyera en la marcha (dejé de creer en las marchas y los efectos “cambia la realidad y el gobierno ya” desde los tiempos del olvidado mosh y todo ese dismother que armó alla abajo en el df) sino pq creo en méxico y quería manifestar esa opinion.

Lei los periodicos y me senti confundida. Muchos marcharon por convicción, pero otros marcharon pq el amigo, la novia, etc estaban ahi -en otras palabras por evento social-.

I wanted to march not because I believed in the march (I stopped believing in marches…), but because I believe in Mexico and I wanted to state that opinion.

I read the newspapers and I felt confused. Many marched out of conviction, others marched because the friend, the girlfriend, etc. were there – in other words because it was a social event.

JC Cortés of Cargamento [es] is extremely cynical about the value of such a march and thinks that it will take years before things change, when this generation of criminals disappears:

En este país, la protesta causa molestia… ¿no es ese el comportamiento habitual del mexicano frente a una manifestación?… ¿no son unos nacos los que se manifiestan?… ha habido infinidad de marchas y nunca sirvieron de nada.

Las hubo para exigir justicia, para evidenciar corrupción, para acusar fraudes electorales, para mejorar el ambiente social. Ninguna sirvió, esta no será la excepción

In this country, protests cause annoyance. Isn't that the customary reaction by Mexicans when they see a protest? Aren't the ones who protest just some idiots? There have been an infinite number of marches and they never were worth anything.

There have been marches calling for justice, to uncover corruption, to accuse of electoral fraud, to improve social environment. None of them worked, and this won't be any different.

Carlos Garduño of Vivir México [es] is another that felt that the march did not accomplish much, and what is needed to fight against crime and against organized crime is “to attack the foundation that sustains them: the economic foundation that supports them and corruption.”

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