In Mexico, Easter celebrations can take a political turn. The burning of effigies is a long-standing Holy Week tradition in the largely Catholic nation. The effigies usually represent Judas Iscariot, the turncoat apostle whom scripture alleges sold the Messiah out for 30 pieces of silver. But this election season, many Mexicans are symbolically burning someone else: Donald J. Trump.
Reuters reports that in Mexico, representations of the novelty candidate-turned-potential-horseman-of-the-apocalypse are going up in flames. From Puebla to Oaxaca, Trump effigies burn to chants of muerte (death) and other holiday ill-wishes.
Symbolically burning political figures (including American ones) alongside Iscariot is nothing new in Mexico. This year, however, the US offered a more tempting target than usual. The Republican front runner’s explicitly anti-Mexican platform has inspired cross-border disgust and accusations of racist fear-mongering.
Trump’s early political momentum came largely from promises to defend the United States from Mexican immigrants. Infamously asserting that “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists. And some I assume are good people,” the former reality star promised to build a wall across the entirety of the US/Mexico border. Addressing the projected expense of the project, Trump claimed that he would force the Mexican government to cover the costs.
Like the burnings, Trump’s wall idea is purely symbolic. Its construction—at least on Mexico’s dime—is unlikely even if Trump were to win the White House. Even if it were feasible, reason dictates that it would have little chance of restricting unlawful immigration or smuggling.
Despite this, and despite his image going up in flames, Trump needn’t worry. The idea of the wall has already accomplished its true purpose: scoring primary votes by condoning the bigotry that used to fall outside of acceptable political discourse. Meanwhile in Mexico, the people Trump seeks to vilify laugh over the crackle of burning papier-mache combovers.
Featured image by La Real Noticia, from the Public Domain
