Top > Business > 2007 > February > 2007-02-10

Mexico`s Tortilla Riots

75 thousand people marched Wednesday in Mexico City in protest of the rise in basic foods, including tortillas, the staple of Mexico`s poor, and demanded the economic policy be changed. The protesters challenged President Felipe Calderon. One of the signs carried by protested read: "Calderon stole the elections, and now he`s stealing the tortillas!" others waved tortillas in their hands while crying out "Tortillas Yes! PAN No!", a pun playing on PAN`s double meaning as Calderon`s political party and bread.

In a press release issued by Calderon`s office the president stated his concern over instability of the prices of basic goods and services, and that he and his government intend to do all in their power to sustain their stability and to punish any kind of speculation and accumulation in the market.

Calderon`s political opponent Lopez Obrador, the self-styled "legitimate president" of Mexico, who spoke at his own rally after the main demonstration ended. He said that Mexico needed change, including a rise in minimum wage, subsidiaries and supervision over the prices of basic foods and a cancellation of foreign trade agreements, which will revoke the limitations on the import of corn and beans as of 2008. The protesters were split over the rally`s connection to Lopez Obrador. Many of the protesters feel that he is the legitimate voice of Mexico`s poor after he has lost the last presidential elections by less than 1%. Others felt that the protest was spontaneous and apolitical.