sun., 4 may, 2014: chingo de mayo, iii.: give us This Day our Daily Curse

SPANISH: “¡Pobre Mexico! ¡Tan lejos de Dios y tan cerca de los Estados Unidos!”   ‡

SPANISH: “Pax Porfiana” ‡‡

SPANISH: “Pan o palo” ‡‡‡

       ‡ )  “Poor Mexico! So far from God and so close to the United States!”  —  attrib. to Porfirio Diaz, who had participated in the routing of the French at Veracruz,  & who served as “President” of Mexico from 1876 to 1911  (with brief periods, 1876, & again 1880  —  1884, when fuck-puppets Juan Méndez & Manuel González respectively served as interim presidents) ;  Diaz’s presidency was marked by a surface stability  (modernization & economic growth)  made possible by political repression,  graft & corruption, & by selling off everything to foreign corporations,  esp. mining & agri-business concerns.  In 1911 Diaz was kicked out on his arse during the Mexican Revolution; he slithered off to exile in Spain.  After the Mexican revolution many industries were nationalized;

      ‡‡ )  “Porfiana Peace”  —  a period in Mexican history  (1876—1911)  marked by Porfirio Diaz’ rule,  where a surface stability, modernization & economic growth was made possible by political repression & by selling off everything to foreign corporations,  esp. mining & agri-business concerns.  In 1911 the shit hit the fan with the Mexican Revolution & Diaz slithered off to exile in Spain  ;

    ‡‡‡ )  “Bread or the stick”  —  Porfirio Diaz’ strategy of offering problematic politicians or generals two options:  cushy & obscenely-salaried sinecures,  or a blindfold & a last cigarette & a firing squad.  (Diaz is said to have commented that a dog with a bone would neither bite or bark.)

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from curse + berate in 69+ languages, from Soft Skull Press

http://softskull.com/?p=271

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