The failures of the law

The best way to frustrate the realization of an ideal of justice is to elevate it to the quality of law.

Manuel Gomez Morin

One of the worst errors, in relation to the damage they cause to people, is the one caused by making bad legal regulations. We have conceived a bad legal system and, worse still, we have been negligent and irresponsible in its execution. History gives us plenty of examples of the poor preparation of legal commands. At least in the period of the old PRI there was a minimum of modesty that has been absent with the beginning of our botched transition to democracy.

Making laws requires ability and delicacy. It is a complex discipline that uses many tools. However, our representatives in the Legislative Branch and the head of the Executive, on whom this task falls, assume it frivolously, giving priority to particular interests and with shameless opportunism. There has been no ethics to touch the law. As has been said, not everything is explained by softness, stupidity and folly also contribute their share.

Before any reform, the results to be obtained must be very clear and defined and not simply cover appearances. Law is, in principle, theory. The reality is its observance. The transition from one to the other is a deadly step.

For many years the reform of the former Federal District was demanded. It was said that its inhabitants were second-class citizens because they could not elect their rulers and lacked a Legislative Assembly. Well, he fervently began his modification with deplorable results. The city government was dismantled. Demagoguery, bureaucracy and corruption were detonated. Even the name was changed, baptizing it with a mathematical formula (CDMX). His brand new constitution is a fantasy. Their mayoralties are fiefdoms of urban chiefs.

I'm not a misogynist. In this space I have written about my heroines in politics. None of them built their careers by wielding their status as women or through quotas. With the hackneyed discourse of “it's our turn”, an exclusive, vindictive and sectarian feminism has emerged. Its central argument is identity. I dare to call it “feminism” to equate it with machismo. In other words, a degeneration of feminism that does not help the long struggle for women's legitimate rights; On the contrary, it distorts it.

It is not enough to celebrate the arrival of women to positions in the Legislature and the Executive. The important thing is good performance. As the saying goes, “not even shoes fit by force.” Equity in a collegiate body is one thing and forcing the nomination of one gender for a single-person position is another, a superb aberration. The priority is institutions, governance, and public services for the population. There is the pathetic case of Guerrero.

Making a law with a dedication, to benefit an individual, whether man or woman, is a terrible legislative technique (Veracruz case). It is denying the law its essential characteristic of universality. We are experiencing a despicable manipulation of our legal framework (Nuevo León case) and greater disastrous threats loom (the attacks on the SCJN).

There is a vicious maneuver of promoting garlitos to win votes. Let's be realistic. Candidates for the different positions in dispute who do meet the required profiles are scarce. If we add restrictions to that, the contest becomes a competition of mediocrities.

Mexico needs its best women and men in public office. Let's not label them by decreasing options. By adding requirements we are not going to have better servers. Let the citizens decide.

2024 is crucial. The next government will be one of correction or it will be misgovernment.