Mexico begins a phase of changes on Saturday with the presidential inauguration of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who promised to head the fourth transformation of the country, this time in a peaceful way. As the saying goes, third time lucky, and Lopez Obrador is receiving the Presidential Band before a score of heads of state and other high foreign dignitaries, as well as the full Congress of the Union, gathered in the Chamber of Deputies in this capital.
During his electoral campaign, he referred to the fourth transformation, which is a key moment in Mexican history.
The previous ones, according to his vision, were the independence movement (1810-1821), the Reformation, armed conflict between liberals and conservatives (1858-1861) that opened the doors to progressive laws with Benito Juarez as its protagonist; and the Revolution, against the dictatorship of Porfirio Diaz (1910-1917) after which the current Constitution was promulgated.
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador takes over as president with high popularity and with the promise of ending neoliberal policies and recovering the traditional Mexican policy of non-interference and respect for self-determination.
However, he is facing a rocky task leading a country that is impaired by sweeping corruption, drug-trafficking and violence.
