Renowned Mexican journalist and author visits NEIU

The Latino and Latin American Studies Program hosted Carlos Monsivais, Mexico's leading cultural critic, to its Friday, October 12 event "Creative writing in Spanish and Spanish publications in the U.S." Monsivais captured the attention of Recital Hall audience members while delivering a speech on contemporary issues in Mexico and the United States. It was co-sponsored by Academic Affairs, Academic Development, Foreign Languages, International Programs and translation from Spanish to English was available.

Professor Victor Ortiz, the Latino and Latin American Studies Program Coordinator, opened by thanking those who helped make the event happen. Provost Frank briefly spoke about the extensive literary journalism of Carlos Monsivais. The editorial director of the Chicago newspaper contratiempo, Fernando Olszanski, also welcomed listeners.

The speech Carlos Monsivais gave centered on issues like "modernization," and nationalism in Mexico, democracy, and the Zapatistas. "Before the Zapatista rebellion in 1994," he said, "the key word in Mexico was 'modernization,' where the illusion of the First World was around the corner." The uprising, however, left Monsivais asking how it was possible to believe in a Noah's ark of the privileged few while overlooking the existence of ten million Indians?

He sees the Zapatistas as a symbol and observes that it's incredible that for the first time in Mexican history they have begun to scrutinize the problems of racism, misery and inequality with respect to Indian rights. Monsivais explains that it helped him understand the dangers of complacency and the way poverty destroys the lives of people all the time.

"And now the key word to me is democracy. No longer nationalism, and no longer the helpless faith in modernization," he says. Monsivais touched on the pervasive corruption of politicians and the justice system, and lamented the fact that the whole system of impunity is "destroying faith in democracy."

Mexican political leaders now have a "religious attitude" to the free market, said Monsivais. "Eighty-two percent of the Mexican economy is tied to the United States," he said. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was unavoidable, he claims. Monsivais notes that in a lot of areas, NAFTA is closing the economy, not opening it.

For Mexicans, keeping up-to-date with technology is what signals Americanization, argues Monsivais. "Technology is what they want. The youngsters want hip-hop or rap or rock 'n' roll, gadgets, and computer games," he says. Most importantly is the internet, which Monsivais contends has become the new religion. "Staying up-to-date has become a personal and social necessity," he says. However, he believes it is a very restricted notion of being "up-to-date."

Ultimately, Monsivais argues that Mexicans are excluded from the real benefits of technology. "So what you see at the border is the strength of poverty running against the pressures for Americanization." he says. "Or, to be more precise, not the pressures for Americanization, but the pressures for living like an average American," said Monsivais.