Last week in this space the differences between Mexican and “gringo” assessments of Jalisco’s early past were viewed.
With the words “differences” and “assessments” being strongly leaned on.
It was about tackling the reality of early exploration of this area, exploration before this area was even known as “Jalisco.” That in turn meant examining events taking place before the favorite historical, exploratory date of Mexico, meaning 1600 A.D. This meant an embrace of even the loathsome, ancient, and unkind Spanish character, Nuño Beltron de Guzman, an unfriendly visitor to this area.
Unfortunately many of our “present-day” participants were unfamiliar with such characters. Most Mexicans reviewed last week weren’t academics, but they were known for habitually taking part in fielding wide-ranging questions and esoteric queries. Lightning-like in essaying, they were local verbal duelists, as Chinto Ramos and Santiago Acosta now imply.
Chinto is an auto mechanic genius who also takes part in present-day political activities. Acosta also readily displays political insights, minus Ramos’ cutting wit. Others in this non-academic group are of similar vigor and adventureness.
And their families sometimes pay for this bravura. Not long ago one these participants suddenly found a 45 cal. hole in his shop’s metal driveway door. When he pointed this out to a leading elected member of his municipio, the answer was limp, useless: “Probably an accident by someone carrying a pistol or rifle.” It was limp and useless because “regular” — non-governmental — citizens are prohibited from carrying firearms. Thus such a “political warning” is supposed to be illegal.
That “law” is as useful in daily legal municipal activity as other “government” laws in Mexico. Which is why people such as Acosta and Ramos get in trouble from time to time. They insist in following local, state and national laws. As long as you “know” someone who is a member or a close participant in a national, state, or municipio institution of any kind, you are seen to be “free” of mordida problems. And you usually can’t run a business of any kind without paying Mexico’s infamous mordida. It is said by Mexicans and experienced North Americans that it’s impossible to operate a business or, for Mexicans, to be active in politics without getting tangled in mordida.
Not “paying off” today can quickly become unpleasant when habitual occasion calls for it. Often the learning process for many gringos can be tough. It can depend on experience. When my wife and I came to Mexico we had no problem with this cultural bump in Mexican life. I had been coming to Mexico — involved primarily in the corrida or running of the bulls — long before I met her. And she learned quickly from our trips to Mexico’s corridas for a year before we moved south to live.
If one is lucky, encounters with instructive folks such as Ramos and Acosta early on offer useful warnings regarding those who are “helping Mexican social and business life to function smoothly.” Sincere friends seldom bring newcomers into such tangled local affairs. They can be dazzlingly unpleasant for the unexperienced. True, newcomers eventually learn how to deal with mordida (meaning how to avoid it) from friends’ warning tales. But it’s definitely a touchy, acquired taste. We aren’t talking of a traffic ticket — a highway “multa,” the price of which has just soared in pace with other widely protested price hikes sanctioned by President Enrique Peña Nieto. Folks such as Ramos and Acosta design avoidance maneuvers not just for themselves, but of course for their customers.
And Mexico’s “jefes” are so arrogant that they’re clumsy about their thievery. That means Mexico now cultivates habitual carelessness. Think here of Peña Nieto’s present disastrous “approval” rating which has hit 12 percent. That on was on January 15. Ramos, Acosta and their associates are now betting how much more it will fall.