Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said Wednesday her administration will not respond with repression or provocations to protests by the CNTE teachers union [1, 2].
This stance is critical as the Mexican government seeks to maintain social stability and avoid violent clashes during the lead-up to the upcoming World Cup [1, 2].
Speaking from the presidential office in Mexico City, Sheinbaum said that while the government remains open to dialogue, she will not meet with the movement at this time [2, 3]. She said that her administration would not fall for provocations intended to trigger a heavy-handed state response [1, 2].
In a direct reference to Mexico's history of state violence, Sheinbaum said, "No somos Díaz Ordaz" [1]. This refers to Gustavo Díaz Ordaz, the president associated with the 1968 Tlatelolco massacre.
Sheinbaum said that "no habrá represión" [2]. Despite the tension, she said that the government does not believe the CNTE teachers provoked the recent disturbances in the Zócalo, the city's main square [3].
By refusing to meet immediately while promising continued communication, the president aims to prevent the union from achieving a specific reaction through escalation [1, 2]. Sheinbaum said, "Continuará el diálogo" [3].
“"No somos Díaz Ordaz."”
Sheinbaum is attempting to decouple her administration from the legacy of authoritarianism in Mexico by explicitly rejecting the tactics of previous regimes. By maintaining a distance from the CNTE leadership while promising a non-violent approach, she is attempting to neutralize the union's leverage without conceding to their immediate demands, all while ensuring the country appears stable for the international community during the World Cup.
