President Claudia Sheinbaum has drawn a sharp historical parallel, accusing members of Mexico’s conservative National Action Party (PAN) of echoing the tactics of 19th-century Mexican conservatives who once turned to European powers for support against their domestic rivals.
According to Sheinbaum, PAN politicians currently traveling abroad or reaching out to European officials to criticize her administration are following the same playbook used by conservative factions during the mid-1800s. Back then, Mexican conservatives famously sought help from France, a move that eventually paved the way for the French intervention and the short-lived imperial rule of Maximilian I in Mexico — a painful chapter in the country’s history tied to foreign interference in domestic politics.
By invoking that era, Sheinbaum appears to be framing her political opponents as disloyal to national sovereignty, suggesting that looking to foreign governments for validation or pressure against a sitting Mexican government is not a new strategy but a repeat of past mistakes.
The remarks come amid ongoing friction between Sheinbaum’s Morena-led government and the PAN opposition, with both sides trading accusations over democratic legitimacy and international alliances.
For the full details and context behind Sheinbaum’s comments, read the original report at jornada.com.mx.
Source: Sheinbaum: panistas que buscan apoyo en Europa repiten conducta de conservadores del siglo XIX (jornada.com.mx). English version produced with AI assistance.
Image: SeeMidTN.com (aka Brent), BY 2.0 (via Openverse).