A New Hope For Mexico - Andrés Manuel López Obrador

This book arrives with perfect timing. A collection of essays/speeches written by Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the newly elected Mexican president (I think he starts in office at the end of this year if I’m not mistaken). López Obrador (AMLO) provides excellent insight into the absolute mess that politicians and tycoons have made of Mexico’s economy and resources over the last century. It also provides a roadmap of the changes that he plans on making, who they will benefit, and how Mexico will grow from these changes. I particularly loved the emphasis on the importance of bringing migrants into the large embrace AMLO creates, and how he asks the people of the US to understand the importance of migration.

I found the essays detailing the depths of corruption of officials and business owners incredibly telling, as well as the sheer amount of natural resources being left to rot just crazy! Mexico has so many resources and industries, but has been terribly managed for years. The divide between the few rich and the large amount of very poor people is too great for the country to grow effectively. Everything that AMLO reveals and says in his essays and speeches makes complete sense, and it feels like a breath of fresh air that he has finally been elected into office. I hope he is able to accomplish even a quarter of his manifesto as it will make so much difference to future generations.

AMLO’s roadmap for the next 5 years gives me so much hope. Hope for the population of the amazing country the father of my children comes from, and hope that maybe we will be able to go (back) there and raise our children in safety and happiness within a country that is growing rather than being stifled under the boots of money-hungry politicians and violent drug lords.

Thanks to Netgalley and the awesome OR Books for the copy of these essays and speeches from the last couple of years. It’s a super accessible read, and I recommend it to anyone interested in learning about Mexico, or anyone interested in politics in general.