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The President's party

© Yhezel Armando Vargas

"The President does not belong to the party, the party belongs to the President." This was a somewhat popular phrase among members of the Revolutionary Institutional Party. Usually a phrase used by member disagreeing with presidential designations on candidacies.

From 1928 to 1936, Gen. Plutarco Elias Calles was the absolute ruler in Mexico. He appointed and removed Presidents at his will. In 1934, he appointed Lazaro Cardenas as the PRI's candidate -Back then the state's party was named National Revolutionary party- Cardenas was elected and became President. However, General Calles continued to pull the strings. It was known that Calles was the one who ruled. The press called him "Jefe Maximo," which would be translated as "Supreme chief." In 1936, Cardenas was ready to overthrow Calles. Cardenas slowly infiltrated supporters in the army and in congress while he quietly gave an early retirement to Calle's supporters in the army.

Calles was expelled from Mexico and his political power disappeared. Usually the way to get rid of an enemy was execution. Cardena's decision to exile Calles instead of killing him was a turning point in the Mexican political system. Since then the factions inside the ruling class stopped killing each other.

The President now held an absolute power in Mexico. In 1940, history could repeat itself if Cardenas decided to perpetuate on power; he did not. Manuel Avila Camacho was elected President in one of the most violent and dirty elections in history. Cardenas retired and never tried to interfere with his successor's rule. From now on, the President would be an absolute ruler, powerful enough to appoint his successor. Once the successor took office the President retired and kept silent for six years, at least.

The state party was also under the President's authority. The President appointed Chairmen of the party's central committee. Every six years the PRI changed its ideologies and policies according to the mood of he who resided in "Los Pinos." Candidacies were decided in National Palace, the President had the power to appoint every local authority, from the Governor of Mexico City to the member of a city council. President Adolfo Ruiz Cortinez explained this in a simple formula: "Governors and Senators belong to the President, Deputies belong to the party and mayors belong to the people." Actually mayors were appointed by Governors and therefore by the President.

When Ernesto Zedillo became President, he said that he would keep at a healthy distance from his party. Maybe because he was telling the truth or maybe because he was not allowed to, but he did not appoint candidates. Sometimes candidates were known to be adversaries of his political faction. In two months, the President of Mexico will be from another party. The PRI is looking desperately for leadership. Unless the party goes under a reform it will probably disappear after a war between rival factions.