MCALLEN, Texas — A video released by the Mexican government in an effort to inspire goodwill for 2015 had the opposite effect drawing much criticism for making light of the many tragedies that the nation faced — including the kidnapping and murder by police and cartel hitmen of 43 education students.
Soon after the video titled Bienvenido 2015! #Mexicoesgrande (Welcome 2015, Mexico is great) was unveiled by the office of Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto on Youtube.com and on local stations, many Mexicans took to social media to voice their outrage at how the government makes light of years of corruption and narco-violence.
The video starts off with images of the many protests against that have been aimed at Pena Nieto followed by images of natural disasters while a young girl’s voice talks about the many difficulties that the nation has faced.
The young girl in the video makes it seem like the government has not been to blame for the security problems nor the economic situation in the nation and then says that it is up to the public to improve the country as it calls for unity from the left and the right.
The video then takes a jab at the thousands of protesters that have called for the Pena Nieto’s resignation following the September massacre of 43 education students by police and cartel members in the rural town of Iguala, Guerrero.
The protesters used the Twitter hashtag #yamecanse or I am tired while criticizing the ineptitude of the government in dealing with the country’s worsening security situation. The video released by Pena Nieto’s office shows an image of a man laboring in the fields with the hashtag #Mexiconosecansa or Mexico does not get tired.
“In dealing with the difficulties that we have lived trough we must show once more the unit, character and determination of the Mexican people,” Pena Nieto says in the closing of the video.
That video is yet another example of the cynicism of the government, said Raul Gonzalez, a Monterrey resident that had been spending the holidays in McAllen.
“The message is clear, they live in their own world which is very distant from the reality facing most Mexicans,” Gonzalez said. “The message that I get from that piece of trash is that Mexico’s problems have not been caused by the government’s corruption but by the public.”
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