Some of Mexico's most famous actors, musicians and activists talked politics with AFP as the country readied for historic elections Sunday that have been marred by record levels of violence.
From Hollywood star Diego Luna to Grammy-winning diva Lila Downs, they spoke out on the bloodshed and corruption plaguing their home country, and their hope -- or lack of it -- for better days.
Diego Luna, 38
Actor, director, activist
Famous for: Star Wars "Rogue One" (2016), the racy coming-of-age drama "Y tu mama tambien" (2001)
Q: What kind of Mexico would you like to see?
"I live in a country I love. All my love stories started here. This is where I decided to become an actor, where I decided to become a father. It's the one place on the planet where I feel most at home.... That's why I would like for us to be able to live in a more inclusive country, a more just country, without such brutal inequality. I hope I get to see that Mexico."
Q: How does the country get there?
"We live in a world, especially on social media, where there is this cacophony that makes it very difficult to listen. Everyone is participating, but almost no one is listening. I think that's what being a citizen means: knowing how to listen.
"We won't get the political leaders we deserve until we as citizens know how to do that."
Lila Downs, 49
Singer-songwriter, activist
Famous for: Grammy-winning album "Pecados y milagros" (2011), five Latin Grammys
Q: Do you plan to vote?
"Of course! I think it's important to vote for change. As my mom says, 'We already gave the right-wing a chance, and, well, it wasn't that great, was it?' (Laughs.) Now it's time to give the left-wing a chance. There are a lot of problems we won't be able to eradicate overnight, though."
Eugenio Derbez, 56
Actor, director
Famous for: starring in "How To Be a Latin Lover" (2017), "Overboard" (2018)
Q: What are your reactions when you return to Mexico from Los Angeles?
"I can see people are really angry. We all want the same thing for our country. I don't think there's a single Mexican... who wants things to go badly for the country. But unfortunately we're not channeling our energy right."
Q: Who do you plan to vote for?
"All I can tell you is that a lot of Mexicans share the feeling that we're stuck trying to decide which (candidate) is the least bad."
Ruben Albarran, 51
Musician, activist
Famous for: frontman for the Grammy-winning rock band Cafe Tacvba
Q: Do you plan to vote?
"No. To me, voting isn't democracy. I've never seen democracy in my life, I've just seen that we keep going from bad to worse.
"Democracy doesn't mean ceding our duties and rights to mobsters. Democracy means we're the ones who make the decisions and do the work."
Javier Sicilia, 62
Poet, professor, activist
Famous for: leading mass protests against the violence gripping Mexico after his son was murdered in 2011
Q: Do you plan to vote?
"I'm not going to vote. I don't want to validate a farce.... Whoever wins is going to be running hell."
Q: Do you see any difference between the four candidates?
"I want (the leftist front-runner, Andres Manuel) Lopez Obrador to win for one simple reason: the people need to be disappointed. We've tried everything else, now we're just missing Lopez Obrador to finally understand that the crisis won't be solved by some savior, and that we have to maturely take responsibility for the situation we're in."
Irene Azuela, 38
Actress
Famous for: telenovelas, films and two Ariel awards, the Mexican equivalent of the Oscar
Q: What is on your mind in these elections?
"The deep pain we felt when three film students were murdered in Guadalajara (last March), and also the disbelief that it had happened yet again, after the deep scar that was left by the disappearance of the 43 students from Ayotzinapa (in 2014, an unsolved crime that shocked the country). It's not just the pain, it's the outrage, the disbelief, the desperation."
Some of Mexico’s most famous actors, musicians and activists talked politics with AFP as the country readied for historic elections Sunday that have been marred by record levels of violence.
From Hollywood star Diego Luna to Grammy-winning diva Lila Downs, they spoke out on the bloodshed and corruption plaguing their home country, and their hope — or lack of it — for better days.
Diego Luna, 38
Actor, director, activist
Famous for: Star Wars “Rogue One” (2016), the racy coming-of-age drama “Y tu mama tambien” (2001)
Q: What kind of Mexico would you like to see?
“I live in a country I love. All my love stories started here. This is where I decided to become an actor, where I decided to become a father. It’s the one place on the planet where I feel most at home…. That’s why I would like for us to be able to live in a more inclusive country, a more just country, without such brutal inequality. I hope I get to see that Mexico.”
Q: How does the country get there?
“We live in a world, especially on social media, where there is this cacophony that makes it very difficult to listen. Everyone is participating, but almost no one is listening. I think that’s what being a citizen means: knowing how to listen.
“We won’t get the political leaders we deserve until we as citizens know how to do that.”
Lila Downs, 49
Singer-songwriter, activist
Famous for: Grammy-winning album “Pecados y milagros” (2011), five Latin Grammys
Q: Do you plan to vote?
“Of course! I think it’s important to vote for change. As my mom says, ‘We already gave the right-wing a chance, and, well, it wasn’t that great, was it?’ (Laughs.) Now it’s time to give the left-wing a chance. There are a lot of problems we won’t be able to eradicate overnight, though.”
Eugenio Derbez, 56
Actor, director
Famous for: starring in “How To Be a Latin Lover” (2017), “Overboard” (2018)
Q: What are your reactions when you return to Mexico from Los Angeles?
“I can see people are really angry. We all want the same thing for our country. I don’t think there’s a single Mexican… who wants things to go badly for the country. But unfortunately we’re not channeling our energy right.”
Q: Who do you plan to vote for?
“All I can tell you is that a lot of Mexicans share the feeling that we’re stuck trying to decide which (candidate) is the least bad.”
Ruben Albarran, 51
Musician, activist
Famous for: frontman for the Grammy-winning rock band Cafe Tacvba
Q: Do you plan to vote?
“No. To me, voting isn’t democracy. I’ve never seen democracy in my life, I’ve just seen that we keep going from bad to worse.
“Democracy doesn’t mean ceding our duties and rights to mobsters. Democracy means we’re the ones who make the decisions and do the work.”
Javier Sicilia, 62
Poet, professor, activist
Famous for: leading mass protests against the violence gripping Mexico after his son was murdered in 2011
Q: Do you plan to vote?
“I’m not going to vote. I don’t want to validate a farce…. Whoever wins is going to be running hell.”
Q: Do you see any difference between the four candidates?
“I want (the leftist front-runner, Andres Manuel) Lopez Obrador to win for one simple reason: the people need to be disappointed. We’ve tried everything else, now we’re just missing Lopez Obrador to finally understand that the crisis won’t be solved by some savior, and that we have to maturely take responsibility for the situation we’re in.”
Irene Azuela, 38
Actress
Famous for: telenovelas, films and two Ariel awards, the Mexican equivalent of the Oscar
Q: What is on your mind in these elections?
“The deep pain we felt when three film students were murdered in Guadalajara (last March), and also the disbelief that it had happened yet again, after the deep scar that was left by the disappearance of the 43 students from Ayotzinapa (in 2014, an unsolved crime that shocked the country). It’s not just the pain, it’s the outrage, the disbelief, the desperation.”
