Jesse Ventura said it well: “Politics in America is identical to professional wrestling.” The former governor of Minnesota between 1999 and 2003 knew well what he was talking about. Jessy “The Body” Ventura was a “rudo” in professional wrestling from 1975 to 1986 and perfectly understood how these two spaces or these two distinct professions worked. He also knew the dynamics of the media and the American defense system well, as he was also a radio and television host and is a Navy veteran.

In an iconic interview, Ventura makes a comparison between politics in the United States and wrestling. He explains, “that the Democrats and Republicans will tell you and the public how much they hate each other and how different they [supposedly] are, but as soon as the cameras are off in the studio, they go to dinner together and they're all buddies doing business. It's like in professional wrestling. In front of the public, we hate each other and we'll go and knock each other out, but in the locker room, we're all friends.” The former governor and former professional boxer's explanation makes a lot of sense and also makes us think about Mexican politics. What Ventura says seems to apply perfectly to the case of Mexico since it transitioned to what some call "democracy":

In recent years, this seems very clear. And it's only in recent weeks that I've been reminded most of the comparison that the former American wrestling heel made on several occasions. The spectacle of wrestling remains the same; the costumes and characters change, but the logic of the "show" remains the same. The same thing seems to be happening in Mexican politics today. The brawl in San Lazaro last week involving Senators Alejandro Moreno and Gerardo Fernandez Norona and the regrettable public discussion that ensued make it clear that Mexican politics today resembles a crude spectacle. This is not an isolated incident. This way of interacting between members of the so-called "officialdom" and the "opposition" in times of the Fourth Transformation of Mexico has become the norm.

We have countless examples,But the interventions of influential figures in Mexican politics on various occasions have been memorable in recent years, such as Lili Tellez, Lilia Aguilar Gil, Kenia Lopez Rabadan, Andrea Chavez, Xochitl Galvez, Gerardo Fernandez Norona, Ricardo Anaya, and, of course, Alejandro Moreno, among many others. Mockery, shouting, insults—and now even blows—accompany the most important debates on key issues for national life; histrionics, moreover, seem to accompany all interactions between politicians of all parties—representing all interests and ideologies. We are not only talking about representatives of the popular party, but about the entire Mexican political class in the contemporary era, media representatives, social media influencers, and even prominent members of the business class who interfere in political issues. The case of Ricardo Salinas Pliego is emblematic in this latter sense.

The "Mananeras del Pueblo" (formerly simply "mananeras" or morning press conferences of the Presidency of the Republic organized since the last six-year term) have become a propaganda spectacle that, under the pretext of informing Mexican society from the executive branch, daily confronts the tough guys and the technical experts of real politics and the media, as is also done in the Arena Mexico itself or at events organized by the World Wrestling Federation (WFF). In this space, the government and the opposition seemingly confront each other, exchanging very serious accusations, but without formal investigation or any legal consequences for those accused of crimes or corruption.

In contemporary Mexican politics, accusations against members of the opposing faction or party abound, and alleged acts of corruption, abuse of power, or conflicts of interest are aired. We have some idea of ??the robberies perpetrated by the old and new political classes in Mexico, but these cases are rarely properly investigated here, and the very few investigation files that are opened rarely result in a sentence. Impunity in Mexico is insulting and aberrant. Corruption is not fought; it is tolerated, forgiven, and even justified, regardless of the side it comes from. The tough guys and the technical guys seem to fight onstage, but when the lights go out, it seems like everyone happily goes off to dinner together and do business. The inclusion of so many figures from the old political class accused of corruption in the Morena Party is clear evidence of the crude spectacle that Jesse Ventura puts on.

It doesn't matter how many designer watches, fine clothes, white or gray houses, or houses on communal properties Mexican politicians acquire, or how many uninvestigated conflicts of interest and possible links to drug trafficking are reported in the press. The La Barredora case, for example,The corruption of former presidents and politicians affiliated with the so-called PRI-PAN (National Action Party of the Nationalist Revolution) without consequences, the early campaigns of key figures in the ruling party, and the unexplained incomes of some politicians or popular representatives seem to be the norm rather than the exception. Everything is aired in the public arena, but unfortunately, without consequences. In the end, the spectacle of political back-and-forth diverts attention from Mexico's real problems. While the crude discussion of the San Lazaro riots heats up the social media for days, we forget about the tens of thousands of missing people in Mexico, as well as the many communities across the country that are victims of violence and extortion by organized crime. Furthermore, we fail to discuss the reconcentration of power in a single political party, militarization, and the real loss of Mexican sovereignty under the yoke of Donald Trump. "Give them bread and circuses, and they will never rebel," as the Roman satirical poet Juvenal aptly says. This is what happens in professional wrestling in Mexican politics today.