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’d participated in the routing of the
French at Veracruz, & who served as
“President” of Mexico fr. 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-bizz concerns.
In 1911 Diaz was kicked out on his arse
during the Mexican Revolution; he
slithered off to expile in Spain. After
the Mexican revolution many industries were nationalized;
‡‡)
“Porfiana Peace” — a per.
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-bizz concerns. In 1911 the
shit hit the fan with the Mexican Revolution, & Diaz slithered off to
expile 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.)
_____________________________________
from curse + berate in 69+
languages, from Soft Skull Press
http://softskull.com/?p=271
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