Being fed up with the current situation in Mexico, thousands of people took the streets throughout the country for several days in order to make sure their voices were heard.
The beginning of the New Year was difficult for Mexico; not only because the country experienced different types of extortion from the USA President-elect Donald Trump, as he pressured some automobile companies to not build industries in Mexico or they will face a rise in American taxes if they were willing to sell their cars there, resulting in Ford cancelling an investment on a Mexican factory and instead investing that money in an American factory.
Mexican citizens also experienced extortion from part of their government as they increased the gasoline price by a 13% in the first months of the year, willing to end with an increase of a 22.5% from last year’s price by the end of 2017. Obviously, Mexicans did not agree with this increase on the gasoline price. Someone earning the minimum wage will now need to work 8 consecutive days in order to fill their car’s tank, resulting in a possible economic crisis in the country.
General Motors is sending Mexican made model of Chevy Cruze to U.S. car dealers-tax free across border. Make in U.S.A.or pay big border tax!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017
Ford said last week that it will expand in Michigan and U.S. instead of building a BILLION dollar plant in Mexico. Thank you Ford & Fiat C!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2017
Ford said last week that it will expand in Michigan and U.S. instead of building a BILLION dollar plant in Mexico. Thank you Ford & Fiat C!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 9, 2017
Street protests
For over 8 days Mexicans have taken to the streets to reflect their unconformity with the current government.
Not only because the gasoline price went up, but because of the violence and the corruption that the country is currently living with. The protesters also asked for the current Mexican president, Enrique Peña Nieto, to resign from his position. As well as taking the streets, Mexicans also made their voice heard through Social media, with the hope that they could make a change in their socio-economic and political situation.
The use of different online channels helped them to reach a wider audience and made the world notice their unconformity with the incompetence from their politicians, especially from their current president.
Photos from the protests tonight in Mexico City's center against the #gasolinazo Stay informed, Stand w the Mexican people #FueraPeña ✊🏾🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/PaP3OwKQ8H
— paola (@frvda) January 10, 2017
Is it an isolated case?
While the far-right is experiencing an increase in popularity in different countries, others are following the steps of the Arab Spring by protesting against their corrupt governments, dividing the world again in those wanting to close their frontiers and those willing to make a change in democracy and have more transparent governments.
The increase of social media use might be guilty for the rapid spread of ideologies, which some of them could end, hopefully, with the eradication of corruption which could improve people’s lives around the globe.