The Catholic Church asks AMLO and the PRD not to "Ignite" Mexico (Translation)

eluniversal.com.mx ^ | July 6, 2006 | eluniversal.com.mx (translated by self)

[StJacques]

So affirms Carlos Aguiar Retes, Secretary-General of the Conference of the Mexican Episcopate, which at this moment cannot demand anything of López Obrador, who appears in second place in the vote count, and asks that he accept his defeat.

The Catholic Church called on presidential candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador and the leadership of the PRD for prudence, to not ignite the country and to respect the final loss that the Electoral Tribunal renders on Sunday's presidential election.

In a press conference, the Secretary General of the Conference of Mexican Episcopate (CEM), Carlos Aguiar Retes, indicated that at the moment they cannot demand of López Obrador, who appears second in the vote count, that he accept his defeat.

He [López Obrador], they explained, as the standard-bearer of the For the Good of All coalition, still has a last option left, which is the Electoral Court of the Judicial Power of the Federation (TEPJF) before he announces that he will oppose the election.

But once the court certifies the election, rendering his possible opposition a failure, it will get to confirm in favor of the aspiring PAN presidential candidate, Felipe Calderón, and López Obrador will have to recognize the new president-elect.

The same Bishop of Texcoco [Retes], requested [the PRD] to "not heat up" spirits as if they were continuing to campaign, because that can easily get out of control in other circumstances, such as when there is a feeling of frustration.

"I am calling upon the leadership of the PRD to understand that their party has won space for itself as never before and that they do not want to lose that by throwing it away, even though they did not win everything they wanted. But if something is important, "why throw it all away" just "to ignite the country" he added.

Carlos Aguiar commented further that the moment for reconciling has arrived, to demonstrate political maturity, instead of thinking about catastrophic scenarios.

[StJacques]

Well in case the mainstream media in this country has you fooled into believing that López Obrador is really just a liberal running in Mexico, take a look at just how seriously the Catholic Church in Mexico is treating his opposition to the election results.

What I cannot tell from this press briefing, is just how much of the Catholic Church's fears center upon the big demonstration AMLO and the PRD have planned for this weekend (Saturday I think) in the Zócalo plaza in downtown Mexico City. I posted on another thread that this particular demonstration looks like intimidation on the part of López Obrador and his followers to me. It could be that the Catholic Church sees the same thing.

And how about AMLO getting a spanking in a sermon? The bishop just told him not to burn down the country because he didn't get his way.

[StJacques]

It doesn't look like I'm going to get to translate Calderon's speech until tomorrow, so this will wrap it up for me for the day.

[StJacques]

Thought you might want to look at this too NYer.

[DoughtyOne]

Actually, I see this as a good sign. I entered the article thinking the Catholic Church might be positioning to give the conservative winner a hard time. I'm glad that's not the case, and I appreciate the church's take on this. Sounds like they are doing the right thing.

[Draco]

I entered the article thinking the Catholic Church might be positioning to give the conservative winner a hard time.

Hey DoughtyOne, been a long time since Nov. 2000 outside the LA federal building. Writing now from Sonora Mexico. PAN is loosely allied with the Catholic Church. Many here agree with the sentiments of the Church, but others note the pre-existing tie. There is a growing sense that Obrador is showing himself as others portrayed him: a Chavezista -- cult of personality/maximum leader leftist. Protests? Yes. Bloodshed? No.

[El Gato]

The Catholic Church asks AMLO and the PRD not to "Ignite" Mexico

Probably just fanned the flames. PRD and PRI hate the Catholic church, the Mexican Constitution, written by the PRI in essence, severely restricts the Church and churchmen, since they were on opposite sides in the *last* revolution.

In Mexico, one gets married in two separate ceremonies, if one wants to get married in a religious ceremony that is. It's a political statement whether one has the religious or the civil ceremony first. Our first exchange student had her civil ceremony first, but did not consider herself married, and more importantly neither did her somewhat imposing father, until after the Church ceremony. The civil ceremony was conducted in her home, with only immediate family members present. The religious ceremony, which my family attended, was conducted in a church built around 1600 IIRC. The reception followed the Church wedding, and the honeymoon followed that.

[StJacques]

I learned quite a bit about the suppression of the Catholic Church during the Mexican Revolution -- and afterwards -- when I spent some time in Puebla and Cholula, Mexico, about 75 miles or so east of Mexico City. Puebla-Cholula is the center of the Catholic Church in Mexico, going all the way back to the Conquista, since the area was a center for Meso-American Indian religious worship. There are a total of 366 churches and chapels in the two cities. One can go to mass in a different one each day of the year, even if it's leap year.

I toured Puebla's "Secret Convent" which was a refuge for nuns, and many priests, from the revolution and heard some rather frightening tales when I visited. Their experience of repression during the worst years of the Mexican Revolution is something they are very keen to remind everyone of and I learned a lot.

I also read a very interesting work of history by a Mexican historian named Luis González called San Jose de Gracia: Village in Transition, and I've still got the book somewhere around here. It's written about a small village in the Mexican state of Michoacán that traces its history over a couple of hundred years. It includes an entire chapter on the Cristeros rebellion during the Mexican Revolution, when many of the local villagers, who had pretty much been left out of the revolution, drew the line when the government decided to repress the Catholic Church in their area and fought back. They ended up fighting to a draw, since the government realized it wasn't worth the trouble and it made them very unpopular in the area. But there is quite a bit in that chapter that gives insight into the way many Mexicans attach themselves to the church and of the way the "revolutionaries" saw the church as an enemy.

I wonder how many people remember that the original Mexican Revolution to escape Spanish rule began with one Father Hidalgo?

[SAJ]

And the last time that any Marxist obeyed the Church was... ... ...???

Darn all these crickets.

[BunnySlippers]

But if something is important, "why throw it all away" just "to ignite the country" he added.

Thanks for the bump.

This is the final measure of the man, Obrador ... whether he wishes to take Mexico down this path of civil unrest.

This should be another interesting weekend to see how the Mexican people chose to comport themselves after this incredible election. I have faith that they are equal to the challenge.

[BunnySlippers]

And clergy men and women are not allowed to be in public with clothing that marks them as religious ... such as religious collar or nun's clothing.

But the Catholic churches in Mexico are awesome, some in their lavishness, others in their simplicity.

[OpusatFR]

"And the last time that any Marxist obeyed the Church was... ... ...???
Darn all these crickets."

Yup. But all those Marxists are sure aware that all it takes is a JPII to spoil their party.

[StJacques]

"But the Catholic churches in Mexico are awesome, some in their lavishness, others in their simplicity."

You really ought to visit Puebla and Cholula. In the city of Puebla you will see a number of very old churches, many of whom have their domes covered with the very special Talavera style tile that is a major product of the area. This tile is made from clays that have a very high degree of silica within them and, when the tiles are baked, they harden with a remarkable gloss that resists weathering like almost no other tile on earth. There are numerous churches in Puebla built in the late 1600's and early to mid 1700's that have domes and interiors using this tile that are in remarkably good condition. The golden dome you see on the church below is made of this tile. It's really remarkable.

In Cholula there is the church of Santa Maria Tonantzintla, which was built on top of the famous Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl in Cholula after the Spanish had the pyramid buried by tens of thousands of Indian laborers carrying dirt. The actual dimensions of the pyramid are more voluminous than the Great Pyramid of Giza though it is not nearly so high. But the church is like no other I have ever seen.

The Church of Santa Maria Tonantzintla in Cholula

I know I'm sounding like a travel guide, but I really found Puebla and Cholula to be fascinating. I spent almost two weeks there. And the food is awesome! This is where the famous Mole Poblano comes from. They have markets in Puebla where you can purchase chili peppers whose number and variety count somewhere in the neighborhood of 250 to 300 different kinds. No kidding!

[BunnySlippers]

Incredible! Puebla is on my list of places to go next. I have often thought about going to live in Morelia, Michoacan for a few months as it is so beautiful. And another favorite is Merida, capitol of Yucatan. I always stay at the El Caribe in the mini-zocolo.

Yes, great food ... and Puebla is the home of the 7 moles ... and has Mexico's biggest candy market. I love "limas con cocada" ... fresh with grated coconut. Just 5 cents a piece last time I was there.

[StJacques]

Well it looks like I'm heading for the store later today to stock up on chili peppers.

There are some markets in Puebla in which mole is either prepared right out in the open or they prepare it within small cafe-type restaurants where you can watch everything that happens. There was one such little restaurant I noticed one day where I bought some mole and went nuts over it. I began speaking with the guy who worked there, inquiring as to everything I could learn about the recipe. He was very open with me about everything, gave up his secrets, including the use of raw uncooked sesame seeds which have to be the first thing that goes into the oil, and we talked for over an hour and a half. I wanted the recipe so badly that I asked him if I could come back the following morning to watch him prepare it. He said yes -- he was really thrilled that a gringo was fascinated with what he did day in and day out -- so I asked him what time he closed and told him I would come back then and buy him a beer or two down at the local bar. I'll skip the details of all of that except to say that I ended up purchasing numeerous beers and eventually a bottle of Tequila at that bar and treating this guy and all his friends and we drank until past three in the morning. But the next morning I was back down there with pen and paper in hand and I wrote about six pages of the recipe with notes of explanation. And let me tell you that the "art" of mole is understanding the permutations and combinations of how to match over 200 types of fresh chili peppers with the different ways you prepare them before putting them into the sauce; freshly-chopped, broiled over open flame, fried in oil, steamed, or soaked in water then baked in an oven. I think it's one of the most exciting dishes in world cuisine.

And I didn't even begin to talk about chocolate did I?