The complicated relationship between Mexicans and Mexico

On Mexico’s Independence Day, I wanted to bespeak connected thing that has ever fascinated me: the analyzable narration Mexicans person with Mexico. While astir of america — if not each of america — consciousness a heavy consciousness of pridefulness successful being Mexican, we can’t assistance but besides consciousness disappointed astir our country.

This dual feeling mostly plays retired successful our regular lives. Yet, it is ne'er much disposable than connected Independence Day.

Mexico City residents stitchery for the accepted Independence Day “grito.” (Cuartoscuro)

On this day, we spell large connected the celebrations, filling up nationalist plazas. We portion tequila, sing on with mariachi groups and stitchery with friends and household to outcry “¡Viva México!” with each our hearts. 

But successful betwixt the passionate cries and aggravated displays of emotion for our country, 1 tin often perceive radical saying, “It’s a shame we person truthful galore issues.” Or, “It’s a shame that we person accomplished truthful little.” Or, “It’s a shame there’s an insecurity crisis,” and much from this endless database of corporate frustrations.

This paradox is not new. It is 1 I grew up seeing successful my parents, arsenic they did successful theirs, passing it down similar an inheritance to younger generations. It’s aggravated emotion and pain, on with aggravated pridefulness and disappointment – each astatine the aforesaid time. 

While I constitute from idiosyncratic experience, this paradox is thing but individual. It’s woven into Mexican nine careless of wherever we live. A speedy scroll done X (formerly Twitter) volition uncover thousands of posts that perfectly seizure the dual sentiment. Memes that premix pridefulness with sarcasm, complaints astir the governmental strategy and comments revealing nostalgia and hope.

It doesn’t substance if you unrecorded successful Mexico City, successful a tiny municipality oregon overseas (like me) – we each stock the duality. It’s a sentiment you’ll find astatine a household meal table, societal events and adjacent shot stadiums. It is everywhere. 

What fuels the paradox? I person immoderate ideas.

Cultural nationalism 

Mexican children are instilled with a consciousness of patriotism and nationalism from a young age. (Unsplash/Juan Manuel Aguilar)

From a precise young age, children successful Mexico are instilled with a profound consciousness of admiration and respect for our nationalist symbols, our nationalist heroes and our practice and traditions. This is usually done done civic and taste events that item what it means to beryllium Mexican. 

Every Monday, for instance, schools volition person a ceremonial dubbed “honores a la bandera” successful which each students and unit stitchery successful the cardinal gait to wage tribute to the emblem arsenic they sing the nationalist anthem. I’ve discovered this signifier is not communal abroad, nevertheless beneficial it is to beforehand emotion for a state — though the United States is simply a state that does stock this practice.

Beyond the schoolhouse environment, families observe nationalist holidays by incorporating elements of our surviving heritage, showing children the profound interaction our traditions inactive person connected our regular lives. From piñatas astatine day parties to gathering altares de muertos connected Day of the Dead, we are taught that Mexican folklore is thing to beryllium arrogant of and meant to beryllium displayed astatine each fixed opportunity.

All these practices assistance america Mexicans not lone to emotion our civilization and our heritage, but consciousness arrogant of it. Yet, this heavy emotion clashes with the heavy distrust galore Mexicans consciousness towards our government. 

Distrust successful our institutions

Mexicans emotion Mexico, but not their government. Mexicans emotion their people, but not their politicians. 

Separating 1 feeling from the different is hard, frankincense fueling the Mexican paradox. 

Mexicans’ emotion of state doesn’t mean they ever spot their politicians. (Unsplash/Diego Lozano)

Most of the time, Mexicans kick astir problems emanating from the government: corruption, inefficient bureaucracy, seemingly endless violence, deficiency of equitable entree to justice, mediocre nationalist services and infrastructure. The database is long.

Beyond these issues, there’s a wide cognition that institutions bash not correspond Mexicans but alternatively the interests of those successful power. This feeling of abandonment causes galore of america to presumption authorities with cynicism and a deficiency of trust. For galore of us, it’s hard to judge that amended times prevarication ahead, and we blasted our politicians for the absorption our state is headed.  

Joseph de Maistre said that “every state has the authorities it deserves.” So, I wonderment – what would hap if an mean national were given, overnight, a nationalist office? Would helium enactment arsenic corruptly arsenic the politicians we criticize, oregon would helium emergence to the situation and fto honesty and justness pb his decisions? 

Perhaps that’s wherefore the enactment is blurry betwixt our disappointment with the authorities and emotion for our people. Because, aft all, our politicians were erstwhile mean people. 

Comedy arsenic a shield

Amidst these analyzable feelings, we don’t suffer hope. On the contrary, we person developed an tremendous capableness for resilience successful our mundane lives. This resilience is usually mixed with humor, serving arsenic a coping mechanics to endure mundane challenges. 

Again, a speedy scroll connected societal media volition uncover hundreds of humorous memes addressing each benignant of complaint. 

Mexicans consistently fertile among the happiest radical successful the world. (Unsplash/Kevin Grieve)

Finding laughter successful our ain adversities is our superpower, astir apt reflecting wherefore Mexicans consistently fertile among the 10 happiest countries successful the world. 

For example, this meme was trying to normalize flooded streets erstwhile it rains. 

Imagínate vivir en Suiza y perderte esto… 🇲🇽 pic.twitter.com/n1R3iMunhP

— David Medrano Mora (@deividmedrano) July 16, 2021

This 1 code the important operational and structural problems of the Maya Train, which has derailed respective times since it opened successful precocious 2023. 

Internet nunca olvida… pic.twitter.com/5rI0Pvf0mi

— Chumel Torres (@ChumelTorres) August 20, 2025

Humor is not lone normalized but encouraged adjacent by governmental figures who are, astatine times, victims of it. 

“I’d similar to instrumentality this accidental to convey those who created unforgettable memes for their attention, talent, irreverence and grace,” political expert Dennise Dresser said past year, aft memes of herself went viral connected societal media. “I volition incorporated them into the iconography of this six-year term. They made maine laugh, and astatine myself too. I anticipation they proceed to stock much done this mean [social media].”

And so, from the mean national to the astir intelligence character, we each emotion Mexico contempt feeling profoundly frustrated astatine the aforesaid time. We observe its culture, laughter astatine its problems and proceed to judge that the champion is yet to come. Because if determination is 1 happening that defines america Mexicans, it’s the aggravated emotion and unshakable anticipation that we consciousness for our country.

Gabriela Solis is a Mexican lawyer turned full-time writer. She was calved and raised successful Guadalajara and covers business, culture, manner and question for Mexico News Daily. You tin travel her manner blog Dunas y Palmeras.