En la fábrica de focos trabajan sin luz

Según la Canciller P. Espinosa, en cuanto a los derechos humanos: “México tiene, como prioridad en su política exterior el pleno respeto a los derechos humanos y al derecho internacional humanitario“, así lo dijo en la Asamblea de la ONU el 16 de junio de 2010. Estoy convencido que ni cuenta se dio, qué verdad tan verdadera e impresionantemente precisa le salió de su boca. La Canciller Espinosa expresó que a México le interesan los derechos humanos, de los niños, en los conflictos armados, etc...en su política EXTERIOR. Muy bien, bravo!

Pero qué tal empezar desde…hmm ¿México?....Híjole, es otra cosa eh, no me toques mi México lindo y querido! Las violaciones de los derechos humanos hay que vigilar u observar en el mundo, pero no hablemos de México, por favor. Precisamente aquel mensaje he capturado del discurso de la Canciller Espinosa, y así se me sólo confirmó (otra vez) la realidad de la política mexicana.

Es triste, pero espeja de una manera exacta y precisa la actitud del gobierno mexicano igual que de los niveles medio-altos y altos de la sociedad mexicana. En México puede pasar lo que sea, mortificación de indígenas, obstrucciones para los observadores de los DH, pero lo importante es mantener la buena imagen y pretender que todo marcha sin problemas.

Por parte de México, no hay interés y preocupación sobre la situación de los derechos humanos en el país, sino sobre la violación de los DH en el extranjero. Y punto. La mejor defensa es ataque.
La verdad es que ya me harta esta hipocresía de la política mexicana. Nosotros de la UE todavía celebramos con México un Acuerdo de Asociación Estratégica. Así que también nosotros, la UE – si dejamos que México haga (o más bien no haga) lo que se le da la gana, nos manchemos nuestras manos.

A sad ending of the semester

I´ll be honest. I am the kind of boy who always wants to lead the way and yearns to be the best among his peers. I was pretty successful in doing this also in the Mexican university… till the last Monday. In other words...do you want to know the recipe “How to loose the 95 average score in a MA program in 20 minutes?” Well, just go upstairs to the library where you´ll accidently find your classmates (more than half of the class) and try to solve the easiest exam you´ve ever taken - according to your teacher in a collective way and therefore fulfilling the characteristics of cheating. Too much of noise, too much of absent-mindedness and too much of “pendejo” inside my brain prevented me from doing this well. The result – 45/85 – the worst I´ve ever obtained during my university studies. I feel bad. Definitely not because of the alleged collective cheating, as I was accused of. The only guy who I was cheating was me – among my classmates I did not concentrate, maybe I did not read the questions properly, I wasn´t thinking as I would if I were answering the exam in Cedetec or anywhere else where the internet connection would be sufficiently strong. But one thing is obvious – thanks to these twenty minutes, all the hard work during the two years came to naught. I´ve lost the possibility to celebrate one of the highest average score among my colleagues. It hurts. The lesson for the rest of the life – sit alone, don´t talk to anybody, avoid the collective and “believe just in God and your pistols” how V. Morávek, would say.

Mexican haughtiness, the Failed State and the fail of the EU diplomacy

After having the opportunity to observe much closer the Mexican approach to issues of inner as well as foreign politics, I can sum it to the following sentence: “to accuse of our own problems anybody else, but not us, and to pretend that everything goes well”. Of this nature is the issue of the Human Rights dialogue with the EU, the immigration law in Arizona, as well as the protection of its own citizens in states like Oaxaca.

The Mexican “Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores” (SRE) as well as the “Presidencia” of the president Calderón systematically deny theirs responsibility of Human Rights (HR) issues, pretending that virtually everything is all right. Managing promptly the proverb “the best defense is attack” they are accusing the European countries of violating the HR, exposing uncertain cases like how the Roma minority suffers in the Eastern Europe or how some Greek individuals are being tackled – absolutely irrelevant cases compared to the systematical violating and denying of HR in Oaxaca, Guerrero, Chiapas among many other Mexican states. In long term, the Mexican government gets rid of its responsibility to protect the human rights activists, tourists and its own citizens. Not mentioning the state-Oaxaca corrupted PRI government and its governor Ruiz, who has verbally attacked everybody and allowed to violate the most basic HR of the citizens of Oaxaca.


Approximately three weeks after the first attack on the humanitarian convoy in Oaxaca (San Juan Copala in April 2010) carried out by an armed group strongly associated with the Oaxaca´s PRI government, SRE convoked a meeting where it asked all the Ambassadors of the EU countries to participate (the phone invitation three hours before the meeting, that´s to say - an irrespective towards the EU ambassadors), where un “subsecretario” announced that the EU Embassies should inform their citizens about the danger of joining another humanitarian convoys in Oaxaca planned to the beginning of June. Yes, you hear well - the officials of SRE confirmed that the Mexican state does not have control on some parts of its territory – one of the three basic signs of a State. Notwithstanding, the main purpose of that meeting was to announce the EU ambassadors in Mexico just two days before the planned meeting in Spain (where the Strategic partnership between Mexico and EU was about to be concluded), that the EU countries should be responsible for its citizens, tourists and HR observers. Mexico has washed its hands by informing the embassies and practically delegating its responsibility to the EU countries. Having said that, this implicitly means that Mexico is a “failed State” - a state that doesn´t possess a control on some parts of its territory. Besides, the “subsecretario” mentioned other noteworthy things, like that the observers of HR should fulfill the characteristics of HR observers before the entrance to Mexico (necessity of asking the Mexican Consul service abroad and wait if the respective institutions allow the observance of the HR - maximally for the period of 10 days, for a certain place, without the possibility of moving to another place). Such obstructive conditions do not exist in any of the EU countries.

The question is… Where is the strategic partnership? Should not there be the same conditions for both partners? Is it possible the way how Mexico “negotiates” with the EU? I do not want to criticize in this sense a very apt (for me) Mexican policy. Mexico just knows how can behaves to its partner and that this partner is not strong enough to protest. It´s obvious that the Mexican side just relies on the fact, that the EU is politically too weak to say “enough” to this behavior and to say “enough” to the empty strategic partnership which does not bring practically any new advantages to the mutual relationship. And much less some pros to the EU side. The subscription of the Strategic document turns to be an empty act fully dictated by the Mexican side, serving just to the flashes of cameras, journalists and front pages of Mexican newspapers. In other words, if Mexico is most probably a failed state, the Document on the strategic partnership with Mexico is a fail of the EU diplomacy.

Chiapas

A pesar de que no he visitado todos los treinta y tanto estados mexicanos, ya he conocido una gran parte de la República mexicana. Cada estado tiene sus lugares de interés, lugares turísticos, monumentos. Pero para mi el estado más magnífico y espectacular de todos es Chiapas. Para un europeo es un paraíso, es el prototipo de la región que muchos Europeos tienen en la mente cuando dices „México“.

Chiapas es aproximadamente de la misma extensión como toda la República Checa. Según las estadísticas, al mismo tiempo se trata también del Estado con el mayor nivel de pobreza en la república Mexicana, aunque unos amigos dicen que ya les sobrepasó Oaxaca. Es bastante diferente a otras regiones. Históricamente, culturalmente, de comida, de un montón de cosas. Ya varias veces tuve la suerte visitar éste estado en el sur, todavía de mayor parte conservando su cara vírgen y cubierto con selva. Hace tres semanas fui otra vez a San Cristobal, la famosa ciudad colonial la cuál está visitada por miles y miles de turistas (europeos, asiáticos, australianos, hay casi de todo, salvo estadounidenses – según mis experiencias aquellos aunque pretenden conocer México más que nadie prefieren pasar sus vacaciones en los famosos „Resorts“– Cancún, Puerto Vallarta, Acapulco..., aunque si hay excepciones).

San Cris le encanta a la gente de Europa... y Chiapas en general, todavía más. Incluso hay familias joven de Europa que se mudaron a San Cris a empezar sus nuevas vidas. Chiapas es famoso por las tribus indígenas, por sus lenguas propias, por el Zapatismo. El levantamiento de EZLN empezó (o más bien culminó) ahí en varios pueblos el 1.1.1994, el mismo día cuando el TLCAN entró en vigor. Muchos europeos conocen el subcomandante Marcos o comandanta Ramona, unos de los protagonistas más notados de los Zapatistas. También gracias al apoyo de éstos, los indígenas chiapanecos levantaron sus bastones, palos y machetes para que el gobierno Mexicano por fin prestara atención a esta región marginal y parrara de abusar a los indígenas. Ayudaron también los extranjeros. Muchos. Muchos fueron expulsados por haber sido involucrado en „asuntos políticos internos de México“, aplicando el cuestionable Art. 33 de la Constitución Mexicana.

Para los indígenas de Chiapas los verdaderos héroes como Marcos, Ramona y decenas de otros representan un gran orgullo y también parte de sus negocios hasta el día de hoy. A los europeos les encanta comprar en el mercado de San Cris las muñequitas de estos famosos. Chiapas es lo máximo también para mí. La vez pasada fui a explorar la Selva Lacandona y con unos amigos me metí hasta la laguna (todavía) virgen de Miramar. Como dicen los jóvenes del DF – no tiene madre… y seguro merecería otra entrada en mi blog. Regresaré a este rincón del mundo tan precioso el Septiembre de este año. ¡Pero primero Dios, como dicen mis buenos chiapanecos!

The Advertisement reality of the Mexican TV

As we have Christmas, I wanted to variegate these days while watching some „interesting“ TV programms, especially fairy-tales on TV, here in Mexico. During each Christmas, I used to spend at least two hours a day watching Czech outstanding fairy tales. However big Mexico is and however huge the amount of mexican channels I have on my TV (10), the quality of the programs is more than poor, compared to the Czech TVs. What´s even worse, I doubt that the Mexicans have produced some fairy-tales, during Christmas I have seen very few...and if some, then American ones. Unfortunately, the horrible condition of the Mexican TV is not only matter of the Christmas time. Whole the year long, the quality of the Mexican broadcasting corporations does not match with the criterion of XXI century.

The worst habit of all the misery which can be seen on the Mexican TV, having in common all of the Mexican channels, are the omnipresent advertisements. Of course I know that we also have TV advertisements in the Czech Republic, but it is incomparable with the propaganda which is presented on Mexican TVs. During the films, shows, documentaries, news, every 5 or 10 minutes the program is being interrupted by an advertisement at the same length. It´s incredible, it´s extremely disturbing and first of all it is a kind of calculated brainwashing. The majority of the advertisements seem rude and offensive.

The worst among the worst is the habit to advertise and present various products even during the news sessions, sport discussions, ( just try to imagine Robert Záruba, the Czech famous commentator having chat with an ice-hockey player and advertising a Coca-Cola drink in the same time). Not impossible in Mexico. The Mexican reporters (!) promote and propagate various products like (eg. Coca-cola, Jarrito – a soft drink, among many others) during their reports, such ostentatiously that I haven´t seen before. For instance, a reporter sitting in a studio, surrounded by posters and products of RC Cola, having RC Cola on his desk, during his speech doing breaks, so he could propagate and enjoy the „best soft drink ever which every mexican should drink, and without which it is not possible to have a dinner in a mexican family“. And this process mentioned above takes place every five minutes. Something unimaginable in the Czech Republic.

Goebles, the master of Nazi propaganda, would be really proud of the way how Mexican broadcasting agencies (TVs) work. In short, Mexican television is highly commercialized, serving to the interests of lobbying groups and big companies as well as interests of government (depends on the channel). The news, programs, wheather forecasts, films, in short everything which should be the gist in an independent TV serves just as an additional material to the main purpose of the television in Mexico – propaganda. An independent television, something similar to Česká Televize (Czech Television), or BBC – a neutral broadcasting agency with a minimum of advertisements and the sense for keeping distance from any kind of advertising of any product is a mere vision – utopia, in the Mexican reality. The situation in Mexican TVs resembles to a kind of totalitarian system. A kind of solemn finding... in a democratic country.

Vánoční Mexiko City

Se podobá velmi tomu našemu, tedy abych upřesnil tomu pražskému, všichni na poslední chvíli nakupují dárečky a laskominy, všude je shon a lidem zbývá pramálo času rozhlížet se kolem sebe, zastavit se a nasát sváteční atmosféru. Supermarkety i trhy v centru města praskají doslova ve švech, nikdy jsem neviděl tolik lidí pohromadě. Kromě jiného, nekupují kapry ale krůty a krocany – většina. Ta menšina, spíše starší, ještě nepoameričtěná generace, si o Vánocích dopřeje stejně jako my nějakou tu rybu. Štědrovečerní večeře se většinou podává po desáté večer, kdy už řada z našich krajanů je jistě na kutích nebo se chystá na mši.

Také Ježíšek zde už spíše živoří v zapomenutých knížkách, „in“ je bohužel díky mocnému severnímu sousedu Santa Claus. Velká část Mexičanů, těch movitějších, tráví Vánoce na plážích, ať už v Acapulcu, Puerto Vallartě, Veracruzu nebo Cancúnu...těch míst je nespočet a rozhodně je to lákadlo vyrazit za teplem ze shonu a smogu City. Další část se vrací na Vánoce do svých rodných krajů, ať už z Mexico City nebo z USA. Vánoční stromky jsou také k zakoupení – umělé i živé, jen ekologické variantě – stromku v květináči tu ještě pšenka nekvete. Čeho je tady jako plevele, jsou ty vánoční hvězdy, roste to tu v tomhle období, čert ví proč, na každým kroku. Tak to mám letos doma místo stromku.

Letos se zase Mexičané blýskli dalším rekordem – je zde údajně největší vánoční strom na světě. Pravda, je monumentální, asi 110m vysoký a mění styly a barvy. Na druhou stranu, i přes záři kterou vydává z něj vůbec nevyzařuje taková přirozenost a už vůbec ne vůně lesa. Je to v jádru železná konstrukce. Vloni mělo Mexiko City největší kluziště pod širým nebem na světě (které je mimochodem postavené i letos, vstupné zdarma), letos je to strom. Rekordy tady v Mexiku, jak se zdá milují. Ale je to bohužel spíš taková okázalost a zdá se mi někdy i snaha zastínit ty problémy, do kterých by se mělo investovat spíše. A propos, udržovat ledovou plochu pod širým nebem velkou jak budějické náměstí víc než měsíc, při odpoledních teplotách kolem 25 C,...no asi to nebude nejlevnější. Ale takové je Mexiko a takový jsou i Mexičané – mega mega megalomanští, pyšní na svou rodnou hroudu víc než pávi, a užívající si radostí života plnými doušky.

Dárky zdejší kupují luxusní i skromné, záleží kdo jak na tom finančně je. Snad největší rozdíl mezi vánoční Prahou a Mexiko City je v počasí – přes den se rtuť vyšplhá snadno přes dvacet stupňů, zato noci jsou tady ve městě krušné. Co je však občas k zachvění se zimou, je fakt, že zdejší domy nejsou absolutně připravené na byť jen pro našince podzimní teploty. Jednomu je takhle navečer docela zima. Ale přežít se to dá. Velkoryse.

Šťastné a veselé svátky všem!

Mexican winter´s already come

Of course I´m missing all the members of my closest family and Monty – the dog, the Czech november, Czech humour and Czech double-meaning, while the majority of the Mexicans think that only them are able to joke in double-meaning and honestly this attitude screw me up from time to time...no guys, we Czechs, same as the majority of the nations, as well can ;) I´m missing Prague, sightseeing in the medieval streets of the Old Town, emptied on Sunday´s early morning. I know the edifying and exciting feeling when crossing the Charles Bridge and slowly rising through the Little Quarter, passing the St. Nicholas´s Church and all the dozens and dozens of wonderful houses with their unforgettable signs like the Three Storks, the Golden Wheel, the Three Fiddles, the Golden Goblet,... oh yeah who doesn´t love Prague, right.
But maybe it´s in particular winter with snowflakes, and the compilation of all the tiny details above mentioned, which I´m going to miss most in a few days.

Anyway, thanks to my acquaitance, friends and best friends and their photos on the web I´m still in touch with my Vaterland, I can admire day after day the beauties of the autumn´s sketches coloring every corner of my country with the most spectacular colours which the leafs can only have, and which I have seen till now, just in our heart of Europe.

Mexico is different and it´s also pretty. But also pretty different. The nature here is different. The nature in the City practically doesn´t exist, to be precise. Or at least not in my borough.
This Christmas it´s not going to snow. Not just this one, actually any Christmas.
Despite that the temperatures dropped down to 12, maybe 10 C during the last days, it´s never raining, the standard these days is blue sky. For an average Mexican this climate is extremely cold, you can see people with winter jackets, thick scarfs, pullovers, gloves and winter caps, sooo thick that an average Czech would even doubt whether take these stuffs while going to the Alps, with the well-founded thoughts that he would certainly sweat wearing all these stuffs. Not here in Mexico. The natives do enjoy these „winter“ days in the sence of wearing these winter accesories, inspite ot the fact that such were probably designed for being used in Aspen, Ottawa or Moscow...
But anyway, Welcome Miss Winter also in Mexico