I enjoyed a lot this week chapter because Dawson describes all the Latin American popularismo characteristics and passages in a clear and light way that he takes you back to those times. I’d like to emphasize about “Tata Lázaro” I don’t know how many of you have heard the “Tata” expression, which is quite famous in Mexican history; it means like father or a paternal figure that supports his people. Back in the pre-Hispanic history this expression was used to call a Priest who fought t and supported the indigenous rights (Tata Vasco). But I actually haven’t heard that the ex president Lázaro Cárdenas was called or even considered as a “Tata”. After remembering and reading once again all the ex president made during his period, it made sense to me that he is also called “Tata”. Another fact that made a lot of sense to me is why so many streets, boulevards, avenues are named after him in many cities in Mexico; not only in the center or north, but in the entire country, there is at least one street called after him.

On the other hand, talking about his political campaign to gain “popular” votes, I’m not sure what to think or say about that, because, indeed he achieved his goal and gained the poor/indigenous/non-educated people’s vote, which at the time was a good thing. But the issue is that nowadays that strategy is still being used by the candidates to presidency, (actually, the current Mexican president used this strategy, in addition, he bought electro domestic utensils for the poor Mexicans families, and “bought” their vote this way) but definitely not with a positive or genuine intention, today is all the way around; they use this strategy to take advantage of the non informed people, the poor people who is in the need of hope and candidates make them believe they are going to actually “fix” Mexico’s biggest problems (poverty is one of them). So… after reading the fragment of Lázaro Cárdenas, I wonder if his strategy was the same as the one of today’s Mexican president. Because at the end of the day, many of the changes he did were undone, and mostly because he strengthened the most powerful political party in Mexico. (This party that has had the power for 60 years until another political party won the elections, but in the present it regained power).

Talking about government’s power, influence and corruption in Latin America, is important to point out the Enrique Santo’s tango song, which I found extremely interesting, accurate and cold. I actually played it in Spanish and I appreciate much more what the meant to say, because he sings with some slang and expresses he’s view of the world very directly. I suppose this song is very famous among Argentinians and maybe more Latin Americans. The curious and interesting thing about this song is its accuracy on the lyrics. When he mentions, “The world was and it will be a pigsty. I know… In the year 510 and in 2000 […]”