Article 8 of the Mexican Constitution protects the right of petition: “Los funcionarios y empleados públicos respetarán el ejercicio del derecho de petición, siempre que ésta se formule por escrito, de manera pacífica y respetuosa” (Public officials and employees shall respect the exercise of the right of petition, provided that it is made in writing, peacefully and respectfully).
The protection of the petition depends in part on its tone.
Article 283 of Mexico’s Code of Military Justice states: “Comete el delito de insubordinación el militar que con palabras, ademanes, señas, gestos o de cualquier otra manera, falte al respeto o sujeción debidos a un superior” (A soldier commits the crime of insubordination who, with words, gestures, signs or in any other way, fails in the respect or submission owed to a superior).
Article 285 sets the penalties for insubordination in service. The first is one year and six months in prison “si se hiciere por medio de palabras o ademanes” (if it is done by words or gestures).
La letra con sangre entra. “Letters go in with blood.” In April 2023, the columnist Guillermo Hurtado recalled the saying in La Razón: “Había un refrán que decía que la letra con sangre entra” (There was a saying that letters go in with blood). He linked it to the practice of hitting schoolchildren with a ruler so that they would learn the multiplication tables.
In 1988, Porfirio Muñoz Ledo interpellated President Miguel de la Madrid. El Siglo de Torreón calls the interpellation unprecedented. Muñoz Ledo began with the words “Con su permiso, señor presidente” (With your permission, Mr. President). A member of the PRI tried to hit him to stop him from speaking.
In July 2021, El Financiero published an article titled “Tu jefe no siempre tiene la razón: ¿de qué manera puedes contradecirlo?” (Your boss is not always right. How can you contradict him?). It notes that “el jefe siempre tiene razón” (the boss is always right) is a golden rule for many people, and it says that this is not true.
Its advice for disagreeing: “Manifiesta el mayor respeto hacia tu jefe, pero di lo que verdaderamente piensas” (Show the greatest respect toward your boss, but say what you truly think).
In 2019, the first year of López Obrador’s government, a series of senior officials resigned. Simón Levy, undersecretary of tourism, called his resignation “estrictamente personal” (strictly personal) and “irrevocable.” When Patricia Bugarín left as undersecretary of security, her ministry spoke of reasons that were “estrictamente personales.”
Two officials broke with this. On May 21, Germán Martínez left the IMSS, the social security institute, and called excessive savings in health “inhumano.” On July 9, Finance Secretary Carlos Urzúa wrote in his letter of resignation: “Discrepancias en materia económica hubo muchas” (There were many disagreements on economic matters).