The Mexican president often enters the art deco living room of the National Palace with a smile on his face at 7:00 am. The setting is simple: burgundy and white signs that read "press conference," a Mexican flag, and a podium.
Every morning, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (known as "AMLO") energetically launches his famous phrase: "Animo!" ("Courage!") and makes his way to the podium. His "mañanera" (morning show) begins, setting the tone for the day's news, as it has done every morning for the past four and a half years. After 1,124 editions, as of Monday, May 22, it is still broadcast live on public television and immediately commented on by radio stations. The highlights are also shared throughout the day on various media outlets and social media.
Since the first day of his term in December 2018, the president has performed this ritual five days a week, for over two hours. It takes place wherever his schedule takes him. According to journalist and journalism professor Raul Cortes, author of a book on the subject (El Choque Inevitable, "The Inevitable Clash"), "there is no other example in the world of this presidential morning show," which he now considers "an essential element of his popularity" – "AMLO" has an over 60% approval rating in the polls.
"There is no doubt that the mañanera has entered households. Previously, the presidential discourse was never heard, but now it's everywhere," said Erwin Neumaier, the director of the famous Churubusco film studios. It was to him that the president's team entrusted the production of the mañanera in December 2018. It opens with a clearly patriotic cinematic clip: the head of state greets the soldiers tasked with raising the flag in front of the National Palace. It unfolds 100 meters above the ground, while "AMLO" walks between the arches towards his podium adorned with the emblem of Mexico.
A ring where 'AMLO' fights his opponents
Apart from the set and technical aspects, the mañanera has hardly changed since the time when "AMLO" was the mayor of Mexico City (2000-2006) and inaugurated this daily press conference, which was held at 6:00 am back then. Even at that time, he would start with his "Animo!" and his phrases were often more widely echoed than those of the then-president, Vicente Fox. "AMLO" could, in a single sentence, defend his social policies and respond to attacks from the right, who attempted to remove him from office in 2005 through fraudulent means. His morning show had already served him to call for a march in support of his candidacy, which became famous for its size.
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