The Mexican Academy of Language agreed to include the word grasshopper into its dictionary this year. In Mexico, the term is used to describe politicians who join different parties depending on their interests.
The existence of these Mexican lawmakers was confirmed once again, during a conflict at Congress to appoint the new leader at the lower chamber. Political parties accused each other of changing parties to make sure the PRI or the PT became the third-largest party and take control of the lower chamber.
PRI lawmaker Dulce María Sauri was appointed as the new president of the General Committee after the PRI became the third-largest political party. The decision outraged the PT, especially lawmaker Gerardo Fernández Noroña, who hoped to lead the lower chamber. Fernández Noroña said the process was an attack perpetrated by the federal government and the political elite and took special aim at the Morena lawmakers who changed their vote to benefit the PRI.
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Some lawmakers who claimed to be independent agreed to join the party that best fit their interests and needs. The lawmakers who helped Sauri take over the lower chamber were also reacting to the threats made by Fernández Noroña, who vowed to attack the federal government in case the PRI won.
The lawmakers who changed parties dismissed the fact that they used to be enemies. For example, Mauricio Toledo recently joined the PT, but when he was part of the PRD he attempted to sabotage Claudia Sheinbaum’s campaign.
The process to appoint a new leader at the lower chamber turned into a farce and evidenced the existence of lawmakers who are willing to change from party to party. Although the government talks about a transformation in politics, in reality, things haven’t changed much, all parties are in search of power. They are the same political parties and the same politicians, what is the difference?
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