Odio, polarización social y clase media en Las Mañaneras de López Obrador

David Ramírez Plascencia; Rosa María  Alonzo González; Alejandra  Ochoa Amezquita

doi:10.31921/doxacom.n35a1505

Authors

David Ramírez Plascencia University of Guadalajara, Mexico https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3287-8769
Rosa María Alonzo González University of Guadalajara, Mexico https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1618-7634
Alejandra Ochoa Amezquita University of La Cienega, Mexico https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7581-2105

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31921/doxacom.n35a1505

Keywords:

Populism, hate discourse, López Obrador, middle class, Mexico, mass media

Abstract

Hate has become an important element used in populist politicians’ discourse to support their agenda. This is the case of the Mexican president, Lopez Obrador (AMLO). He has used official channels and social media to verbally harass his critics and the opposition. One distinctive element in AMLO’s media strategy is “La Mañanera,” a daily morning conference where he informs about his national agenda. However, this space has served to exculpate his relatives and party members from the misuse of public money and to openly criticize journalists, social organizations, opponents and, since June 2021, the Mexican middle class. This article uses the Discourse-Historical Approach (DHA) framework to study the discursive construction of “middle class” under the scope of López Obrador’s speech in Las Mañaneras. To analyze how AMLO uses social resentment to attack the members of this social sector, and what are the main rhetorical elements employed towards the middle class under López Obrador discourse. As final outcomes will show, what is remarkable about AMLO’s speeches towards the middle class is the ability of populist governments to use traditional stereotypes, collective resentment, and a partial interpretation of national history to harass dissents and preserve public approval.

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Author Biographies

David Ramírez Plascencia, University of Guadalajara, Mexico

Professor Ramírez is a professor and researcher. He holds a bachelor's degree in Law (2002) and a master's degree in Political Science (2006) from the University of Guadalajara, as well as a doctoral degree in Social Sciences from the College of Jalisco (2013). Professor Ramírez is a full-time researcher and teaches subjects related with new information and communication technologies and their impact on society at the University of Guadalajara. He coordinated the University of Guadalajara's master's degree in Public Management in Virtual Environments and founded Paakat: Journal of Technology and Society. He has published essays and articles on technology and society and is a member of the National Research System of Mexico (Sistema Nacional de Investigadores, SNI), Level 1.
Rosa María Alonzo González, University of Guadalajara, Mexico

PhD in Social Sciences from the University of Colima. She is currently a member level 1 of the National System of Researchers (SNI) and affiliated to the University of Guadalajara where she is doing postdoctoral research for CONACYT at the University Center of the South and collaborates with the University of Colima in Agorante, a research group in society and technology. Her works focus on the social uses of ICT and digital skills, digital production, and consumption, as well as communication and digital culture. She is a professor of the master’s degree in Electronic Government, Learning Management in Virtual Environments of the System of the Virtual University at the University of Guadalajara and on Higher Secondary Education of the National Pedagogical University (UPN) Unit 061 Colima, Mexico.
Alejandra Ochoa Amezquita, University of La Cienega, Mexico

Recently graduated with a degree in Governance and New Citizenship from the University of La Ciénega in the State of Michoacán. She has organized and coordinated different congresses such as The Solidarity Economy Week and the fourth academic meeting on local and regional development. Her most recent approach to research has been through her participation in the Pacific Scientific and Technological Research Summer (Dolphin). She is currently doing her thesis on “Virtual public space: a place for participation” to obtain her doctorate.

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