In a new column for the Mexican newspaper El Universal, journalist Héctor de Mauleón borrows the title of a beloved 19th-century Mexican novel to make a pointed observation about the present day.
The original “Los bandidos de Río Frío” (“The Bandits of Río Frío”), written by Manuel Payno in the 1890s, is considered one of Mexico’s foundational works of fiction. It tells the story of highway robbers who preyed on travelers passing through the mountainous Río Frío region between Mexico City and Puebla, blending crime, satire, and social commentary on 19th-century Mexican society.
By invoking that title for his column, de Mauleón—a longtime chronicler of Mexican politics and history—suggests that similar figures, operating under new guises, may be active in today’s public sphere. The piece appears to use the historical bandit narrative as a lens for examining current events, though the specific individuals or situations he has in mind are laid out in the full article.
De Mauleón is known for weaving Mexican history and literature into his analysis of contemporary politics, often finding uncomfortable parallels between past and present.
To find out exactly who these “new bandits” are and what parallels the columnist draws with Payno’s classic tale, read the full original piece on El Universal’s website.
Source: Los nuevos bandidos de Río Frío (eluniversal.com.mx). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: Synchronism.