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Hundreds of Mexicans huddle at the gates of Chihuahua Street in the capital, which is home to the white two-story building that served as the headquarters of President Andres Manuel's campaign. Lopez Obrador.
They have handwritten notes, medical records, retirement documents and other documents in the hope of hearing them on requests ranging from larger pensions for the elderly to private interests that normally do not fall under a head of state. loved out of jail, help getting into a college class or help finding a job or place to live.
"He told us that he was going to provide for our needs, help us and change the country," said Jasmine Lopez Peralta, a 45-year-old unemployed nurse stable for two years after her hospital l & # 39; He said. could not pay it anymore. "That's why we come to him."
This quasi-religious custom faith to Lopez Obrador to help people feed on his image of fighting for the poor and his promises to end what he calls a corrupt "mafia of power" that has protected his own interests to the detriment of those at the lower echelons of society.
The daily scene outside of its offices in the Roma Norte district of Mexico reflects not only a breakdown of the government's ability at all levels to solve people's problems, but also the depth of hopes that Lopez Obrador lives after years of disappointment.
Jose Antonio Crespo, a political analyst at Mexico's Center for Economic Research and Training, attributed part of the phenomenon to the country's history by "caudillo", or strongman, as well as to populist promises and the common character. by the man nicknamed "AMLO" after his initials.
"The expectations that Lopez Obrador has raised in terms of real resolution of the huge number of problems we face are more credible than" with previous leaders, Crespo said. "Presidents always promise to solve problems, they almost always offer a kind of utopia.With Lopez Obrador, it is even beyond the utopia … repair corruption, fix the violence that has exhausted us for the past 12 years. "
Lopez Obrador's proposals for his mode of government were obscure during the campaign. few concrete details have emerged since the elections on 1 July. On Sunday, he said he would cut his presidential salary by more than half. He has already proposed to increase pensions and create a paid apprenticeship system for disadvantaged youth.
Another promise was to lower homicide rates on the rise in this cartel-hit country through a vague proposal to grant amnesties to some non-violent criminals in particularly those who are detained for drug-related offenses.
This brought Hermenegilda Mercado Yanez, a 69-year-old housewife, to AMLO's headquarters recently. She said that her incarcerated son was falsely accused of strangling his wife.
"We will see if he helps me to release my son, who is innocent … … because he said that he was going to offer amnesty", said Yanez.
Even after the election, Lopez Obrador maintained his modest personal branding style, rolling across the city in a white sedan with windows down and no bodyguards. The only security at his offices is a simple white fence surmounted by an electrified wire and a rotation of two seemingly unarmed guards.
This image of accessibility prompted thousands to make a sort of pilgrimage.
Teodoro Perez Cruz, a 72-year-old man who is partially blind and homeless, said that he was walking south from Iztapalapa to about 15 miles. (24 km) _ ask Lopez Obrader to help find accommodation
Yanez traveled from the city of El Oro in the state of Mexico, at least 2 hours by car or by bus.
Most of those who come to help say that they had the hope of entering the same room as the elected president, shaking his hand and looking him straight in the eyes while they told him their problems.
Instead, they are met by Leticia Ramirez Amaya, a member of Morena's party of Lopez Obrador who has been tasked with taking care of those at the gates. While they are queuing up, they get a brief quiz asking for their name, age, address and other information. One by one, she calls their names and escorts them through the doors to talk with her and other staff members.
Ramirez said that most of the requests are related to the health of people who have already tried and failed to get help from the lower echelons of government.
On Saturday, a woman cried and shook the bars shouting at Lopez Abrader, who was holding a press conference, begging him to help pay for surgery for his mother.
"We'll be right with you," promised Lopez Obrador, causing a wave of applause from those gathered.
Ramirez reminds people that Lopez Obrador will not take office until December 1 – but says that he will then have the power to solve the problems.
"We do not make promises for anything," Ramirez said. "We tell the truth about what can and can not be done."
After Lopez Obrador, who was elected in a landslide, is officially designated as president-elect, he will have access to more permanent offices for the transition as well as a paid staff. Once in the office, he plans to work out of the National Palace downtown and continue living in his modest home, avoiding the enclosure of Los Pinos where presidents traditionally settle.
Irma Moreno, 56, is up at 4 am to travel to San Salvador Atenco, in the suburbs of the capital, and be first on the list in recent days. She was accompanied by militant colleagues who opposed the construction of a new airport in Mexico City that Lopez Obrador had previously announced wanting to reverse and who now says that he will review it.
Moreno said that none of AMLO 's rivals would listen to the citizens had they won the election.
"I hope it's (different)," she said, "and I hope we were not mistaken." ]
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