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Yo Soy 132

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Yo Soy 132
Part of the Mexican presidential election, 2012, Impact of the Arab Spring
Poster stating I am 132 for freedom of speech
Date15 May 2012 (2012-05-15)  — ongoing
Location
 Mexico
Caused by
Goals
Methods
Resulted in
  • National broadcast of second presidential debate
  • Hosting a third debate between three of the four candidates

Yo Soy 132 is an ongoing Mexican protest movement centered around the democratization of the country and its media. It began as opposition to the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) candidate Enrique Peña Nieto and the Mexican media's allegedly biased coverage of the 2012 Mexican general election.[1] The name Yo Soy 132, Spanish for "I Am 132", originated in an expression of solidarity with the protest's initiators.

On May 11, 2012, Peña Nieto held a conference in Ibero-American University a private middle class and upscale university. Many of the attendees questioned and strongly showed their opposition to the candidate. Their protest was centered around the Atenco case, in which Peña Nieto used police force to stop a riot.[2] Human rights groups later claimed that violations by police forces occurred during those raids. However Peña Nieto defended during the conference, his decision of using the force in favor of preventing a greater evil. His answer allegedly inflamed the students who started to chant the motto "Atenco is not forgotten" and forced Peña Nieto to retreat to a restroom and leave the premises by the rear exit.[2]

After the event prominent media outlets and PRI politicians dismissed the attendees' reaction, saying that they had been smuggled by contending parties and were not really students.

In response, 131 students who attended the event posted a video on YouTube showing their student IDs and expressing discontent with the media handling of the event. When people began expressing solidarity with the students by tweeting "I'm the 132nd student", the name yo soy 132 was coined. The hashtag sometimes included as #Yosoy132 emphasizes the movement's connection to Twitter, where it was a worldwide trending topic for many days. The phrase draws inspiration from the occupy movement and the 15-M movement.[3][4][5] The protest movement has been described as the Mexican spring in local media[6] and as the Mexican occupy movement in international press.[7]

The movement successfully demanded that the second presidential debate be broadcast nationally. It also proposed a third debate organized by members of the Yo soy 132 movement that was held without the presence of Enrique Peña Nieto, the candidate for the PRI, who rejected the invitation and said it lacked conditions of impartiality.[8]

Origins

File:Enrique Peña Nieto 01.jpg
Enrique Peña Nieto in 2008.

This movement is rooted in a long tradition of civil upheaval that has been challenging the policies of Mexico's elite class.[9] During the 2006 Mexican presidential elections, thousands of people took the streets in protest for a supposed electoral fraud.[9] Back then, the protest got a media blackout in the United States and was not translated into the social media frenzies like it did with the 2009 Iranian election controversy. This time with the Yo Soy 132 movement, the protests are spreading across social media outlets quickly.[9]

Former State of Mexico governor Enrique Peña Nieto is allegedly favored by Mexico's only two nationwide TV Networks, Televisa and TV Azteca, with extensive coverage during the year prior to the confirmation of his candidacy. Until early May 2012, polls by these two TV networks showed Peña Nieto with up to a 40% lead in national polls. Peña Nieto has been criticized by those who see the return of the Institutional Revolutionary Party as a regression to Mexico's past of corruption and authoritarianism.[10][11] The long rule of the PRI was tarnished with accusations of corruption and repression, and students reject that Peña Nieto represents a new face for the PRI.[12]

La Jornada newspaper, Proceso magazine, journalist Jenaro Villamil[13] and others have claimed that when Peña Nieto served as governor of the State of Mexico district, he used public funds to boost his television coverage. Until June 7, 2012, when The Guardian published an article on this claim, the information did not have a large impact.[14] Televisa, PRI and Peña Nieto have denied the accusations.[15][16]

On May 11, 2012, Peña Nieto visited Ibero-American University to hold a conference with students, where he was severely questioned. While exiting the conference room, hundreds of students began yelling at him to leave. Some showed signs that expressed complete rejection of his candidacy, and many wore masks of former president Carlos Salinas de Gortari. Peña Nieto had only met support and cheers from the meetings organized by the PRI party until then. Security personnel made the candidate hide in a restroom until a route to avoid the protesters could be determined. He finally left the campus with hundreds of students booing him.

Peña Nieto and many of his campaign staffers said this incident was staged by the leftist party candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and that the participants were not real students or that they had been paid (porros—as they are colloquially referred to). This angered many of the Ibero-American University students and prompted 131 of them to publish a video on YouTube in which they identify themselves with their University's ID card.[17] The video went viral, and protests spread across various campuses. People showed their support of the 131 students' message by stating, mainly on Twitter, that they were the 132nd student—"I am 132"—giving birth to the Yo Soy 132 movement.

The protests then turned mainly against the duopoly Televisa and TV Azteca and accused them of poor and biased coverage of the protests. While many independent electronic media outlets covered the events, their audience is relatively small, as only 31% of Mexicans have in home Internet access.[18]

Protests

Yo Soy 132 protest in Mexico City on May 19, 2012
Yo Soy 132 protest in Mexico City on June 10, 2012

On May 19, 2012, mass protests against Televisa and Peña Nieto were held in the country's major cities, led by students from many different colleges. A mass demonstration organized by college ITAM was held outside Televisa headquarters.[19] The protest included a large Mariachi group who performed Las Golondrinas – a Mexican song used historically to say goodbye.[20]

On May 23, 2012, another protest against Televisa was organized by students from public and private colleges. This led the network to give widespread coverage of protests and to announce that the second presidential debate would broadcast on Televisa's main national TV channel Canal de las Estrellas. TV Azteca has likewise responded by announcing the network's intention to broadcast the debate nationally.[8]

On June 10, 2012, another country-wide protest against Peña Nieto was held, on the same day as the broadcast of the second presidential debate.[21] The date also commemorates the 1971 Corpus Christi massacre, when student protests were violently oppressed.[22][23]

The success of the movement in prompting thousands of students to get together has made analysts ask whether the movement will cause trouble to the next government.[24] Nonetheless, the leaders of the student movement said that if Peña Nieto wins the 1 July elections fairly, they will not stage any more protests.[24] The leader said that they will "respect [Mexico's] democracy and its institutions," but if there is evidence of fraud, the protests will continue.[24]

Goals

On June 5, 2012, students gathered in the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), the country's largest public university, to discuss common objectives. They agreed that the movement should aspire to go beyond the general election and become a national force.[25]

Manifesto

On May 23, 2012, the movement released its manifesto. An excerpt from it states:

First – we are a nonpartisan movement of citizens. As such, we do not express support of any candidate or political party, but rather respect the plurality and diversity of this movement's participants. Our wishes and demands are centered on the defense of Mexicans' freedom of expression and their right for information, in that these two elements are essential to forming a conscious and participating citizenship. For the same reasons, we support informed and well-considered voting. We believe that under the present political circumstances, abstaining or making a null vote are ineffective in promoting the construction of our democracy. We are a movement committed to the country's democratization, and as such, we hold that one necessary condition for this goal is the democratization of the media. This commitment derives from the current state of the national press, and from the concentration of the media outlets in few hands.

Second – YoSoy132 is an inclusive movement which does not represent one single university. Its representation depends only on the persons who join this cause and form connections between the university committees.[25]

Debates between candidates

On June 1, 2012, members of the Yo Soy 132 movement demanded from the Federal Electoral Institute (IFE) that the second debate between the four candidates be broadcast nationally, and that a third debate be scheduled for June 22, 2012. The proposed third debate is meant to cover a broader scope of issues. While the IFE has declined both requests, Mexico's two national television networks have announced that they will broadcast the second debate.[8][26] On June 7, 2012, the three candidates other than Peña Nieto agreed to participate in a debate organized by the movement.[27][28][29] Peña Nieto, the main target of the Yo Soy 132 movement, declined the invitation because he said that the movement had "adopted a political position against [himself] and [his] policies," therefore not guaranteeing a neutral debate.[30] In a letter written to the leaders of the movement, the candidate thanked the organizers for the invitation and stated that he is in favor of any policy or person that goes against him.[30]

The topics of the debate ranged from indigenous peoples' rights to the future of Pemex and the Mexican media.[30] The debate experienced some technical problems on YouTube, but it was also aired in several other websites and in a couple of radio stations.[30]

Yo Soy 133

On June 8, 2012, a group of teenagers who named themselves #YoSoy133 published a Youtube video in which they express solidarity with the movement.[31]

GeneraciónMX

On June 11, 2012, a group of protesters who named themselves GeneraciónMX claimed they were part of Yo Soy 132 and announced their departure, they claimed that they perceived the movement favors the leftist Party of the Democratic Revolution and their candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador.[32] The leaders of the movement, however, stated that they are nonpartisan, although López Obrador has championed their cause and El Universal published a photo of his son with a T-shirt of Yo Soy 132.[33] Moreover, the protestors of GeneraciónMX stated that the leftist participants of Yo Soy 132 treated the movement as their own, and that the assembly meeting lasted for over eight hours but did not lead to any plans.[34] One member of GeneraciónMX stated: "we complain about the damn politicians but we are just like them. We look like the Chamber of Deputies."[34] Through a Youtube video titled I am no longer 132, the new movement expressed its intent to remain nonpartisan. Its stated goals are democratization of the media, political reform, environmental protection, and calling politicians' attention to the agenda of Mexican youth.[32] Social network users and hacktivist group Anonymous have argued that GeneraciónMX and its members are linked to the PRI.[35][36]

On June 12, 2012. Rodrigo Ocampo, spokeperson of GenerationMX, reiterated on a press conference that they believed #yosoy132 had lost its course and had been hijacked by leftist socialists parties. He denied any ties with the PRI party and his current employer COPARMEX, claiming his involvement was done on his free time. He also declared that GenerationMX had about 17 members who many of them received anonymous threats demanding them to take their Youtube videos off-line. Also declared that other members decided not to come forward or comment on the allegations of leftist involvement for fear of further threats.[37]

On June 12, 2012, Mexican members of Yo Soy 132 who live abroad said that they received email threats to revoke their passports, from a person who identified as a member of GeneraciónMX. The threats included personal information about the emigrants, and alleged that they have abandoned their country, and so their country should abandon them.[38]

References

  1. ^ "Youth protest former Mexican ruling party's rise". Buenos Aires Herald. Editorial Amfin S.A. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  2. ^ a b Template:Es icon Zapata, Belén (June 4, 2012). "Atenco, el tema que 'encendió' a la Ibero y originó #YoSoy132". CNNMéxico. Retrieved June 29, 2012.
  3. ^ Quesada, Juan Diego (May 27, 2012). "Que nadie cierre las libretas: Del 15-M a Yo Soy 132 solo hay nueve mil kilómetros". Animal Político. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  4. ^ Sotillos, Alberto (June 13, 2012). "#YoSoy132: el 15M llega a México" (in Spanish). Diario Progresista. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  5. ^ "#YoSoy132: Mexican Elections, Media, and Immigration". The Huffington Post. AOL. June 7, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  6. ^ "Social media fuel Mexican youth protests - CNN". CNN. Turner Broadcasting System. May 24, 2012. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  7. ^ Hernandez, Rigoberto (June 7, 2012). ""Mexican Spring" Comes to San Francisco". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  8. ^ a b c "Prensa Latina News Agency - The Yo soy 132 Movement Asks for Third Debate of Mexican Candidates". Plenglish.com. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  9. ^ a b c Mata, Refugio (June 7, 2012). "#YoSoy132: Mexican Elections, Media, and Immigration". The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 27, 2012.
  10. ^ Ackerman, John M. (May 22, 2012). "Mexico risks return to corrupt past with PRI presidential candidate". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  11. ^ Associated Press (May 29, 2012). "Trailing ruling party candidate goes on attack in Mexico's final presidential debate". The Washington Post Company. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  12. ^ Rosenburg, Mica (June 20, 2012). "Mexico front-runner cements lead as vote nears". Reuters. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  13. ^ Villamil, Jenaro. El sexenio de Televisa: Conjuras del poder mediatico / The Presidential Term of Televisa: Conspiracy of the Power of the Media. Ed. Grijalbo, Mexico, 2010. 256 pp. ISBN 978-607-310-197-4
  14. ^ Tuckman, Jo (June 7, 2012). "Computer files link TV dirty tricks to favourite for Mexico presidency". The Guardian. Mexico City: Guardian Media Group. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  15. ^ "Televisa refuta a "The Guardian" sobre pacto". Milenio. Grupo Multimedios. June 9, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  16. ^ "The Guardian desata polémica; PRI y Televisa refutan". Excélsior (in Spanish). Grupo Imágen. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  17. ^ "131 Alumnos de la Ibero responden". YouTube. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  18. ^ http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=it_net_user_p2&idim=country:MEX&dl=en&hl=en&q=internet+users+mexico
  19. ^ "Miles de ciudadanos se manifiestan en la marcha Anti-Peña Nieto - México: Voto 2012 - Nacional - CNNMéxico.com" (in Spanish). CNN en Español. Turner Broadcasting System. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  20. ^ "Jóvenes realizan protesta con mariachis frente a Televisa". Milenio. Grupo Multimedios. June 10, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  21. ^ "Realizan marchas anti-Peña Nieto en todo México" (in Spanish). Vanguardia.com. June 11, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  22. ^ "#YoSoy132 conmemora el Halconazo". El Informador. Unión Editorialista, S.A. de C.V. Retrieved June 11, 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |langauge= ignored (|language= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ "Marchan para conmemorar 'Halconazo'" (in Spanish). Noticieros Televisa. Televisa. June 10, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  24. ^ a b c Graham, Dave (June 19, 2012). "Mexican students won't protest if frontrunner wins vote fairly". Reuters. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  25. ^ a b ""Yo soy 132": Declaratoria y pliego petitorio" (in Spanish). Animal Político. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  26. ^ "El movimiento "Yo Soy 132" exige un tercer debate" (in Spanish). Organizacion Editorial Mexicana. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  27. ^ "Peña Nieto shies away from a third debate". Latin News. Intelligence Research Ltd. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  28. ^ "Los candidatos debatirán con el movimiento "Yo soy 132", salvo Peña". El Diario de Yucatán (in Spanish). Grupo Megamedia. June 7, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  29. ^ "Candidato del PRI será el único que no participará en debate presidencial organizado por movimiento estudiantil". Diario electrónico (in Spanish). University of Chile. June 8, 2012. Retrieved June 11, 2012.
  30. ^ a b c d "Mexico election: Protest group 'I am 132' holds debate". BBC News. June 20, 2012. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  31. ^ "Adolescentes crean el movimiento #YoSoy133 por el proceso electoral mexicano" (in Spanish). CNN en Español. Turner Broadcasting System. June 11, 2012. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  32. ^ a b Ascensión, Arturo (June 11, 2012). "Jóvenes rompen con #YoSoy132 y forman el grupo GeneraciónMX". CNNMéxico. Turner Broadcasting System. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  33. ^ Graham, Dave (June 10, 2010). "Final Mexican debate to test Pena Nieto's mettle". Reuters. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  34. ^ a b Flores, Adriana (June 12, 2012). "Surge Generación MX; abandona #YoSoy132". Milenio. Grupo Multimedios. Retrieved June 12, 2012.
  35. ^ Lucas, Nicolás (June 12, 2012). "Denuncian que #GeneracionMx es cercano al PRI y Coparmex". El Financiero (in Spanish). El Financiero Comercial S.A. de C.V. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  36. ^ Milenio TV. Grupo Multimedios (June 12, 2012). "Integrante de #GeneraciónMX también aparece en video de apoyo a EPN" (in Spanish). YouTube. Retrieved June 13, 2012.
  37. ^ Rea, Daniela (12 de junio de 2012). "E-mail Presentan en solitario a #GeneraciónMX" (in Spanish). Terra News. Retrieved 2012-06-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  38. ^ Proal, Juan Pablo (June 12, 2012). "Amenaza Generación MX a #Yosoy132: les quitaremos su pasaporte". Proceso (in Spanish). Comunicación e Información, S.A. de C.V. Retrieved June 14, 2012.
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