In his latest column for El Universal, veteran Mexican journalist Héctor de Mauleón turns his attention to a troubling trend: what he describes as growing hostility toward satire and comedy in public life.
The piece, published under his regular “In Third Person” column, argues that spaces for irreverent humor and pointed political jokes are shrinking, as public figures and institutions increasingly react to satire with outrage rather than tolerance. De Mauleón suggests that this shift reflects a broader unease with criticism delivered through comedy, a genre that has long served as a pressure valve for political and social tension in Mexico.
Satire has deep roots in Mexican journalism and popular culture, from political cartoons to comedic sketches that skewer those in power. De Mauleón’s column suggests that this tradition is now under strain, as easily offended reactions—whether from officials, institutions, or segments of the public—translate into pressure to silence jokes rather than engage with the criticism embedded in them.
Without laughter and satire acting as a check on power, the columnist implies, public discourse risks becoming more rigid and less able to process dissent through humor, a tool that has historically allowed uncomfortable truths to be spoken more freely.
For the full column and De Mauleón’s complete argument, read the original piece on El Universal’s website.
Source: Censura a la sátira y a la risa (eluniversal.com.mx).
Image: equinoxefr, BY 2.0 (via Openverse).