* Above, the headband then said "Delegado," Iztapalapa, 11 July 2009.
** NOTE TO READERS: I'll be updating this month at The Faster Times Mexico.
Before he became the official delegado-electo of the Iztapalapa borough, the largest and most troubled in Mexico City, Rafael "Juanito" Acosta was a simple street vendor and rank-and-file leftist activist, a member of the tiny Workers Party who at some point got to wearing a tricolor headband that became his trademark, the word "Juanito" scribbled on front. Affable and seemingly harmless -- if a bit inarticulate in his language -- "Juanito" unexpectedly became a pawn this summer at the hands of Andres Manuel López Obrador.
Obrador, who still insists the 2006 presidential election was "stolen" from him, should have known better than anyone else that one of the perils of manipulation is that it can always back-fire on you. Let's look at a previous post for the back-story:
"Juanito" ... struck a deal with allies in the opposition wing of the PRD, led by López Obrador, in which he would resign the office the day he assumes it [... and ...] would be required to appoint a replacement. That replacement is to be Clara Brugada, the AMLO-supported PRD candidate who was not allowed to run for Iztapalapa chief. The PRD wing currently in power, known as "Los Chuchos" for party president Jesús Ortega, muscled their own person on the ballot there.
But soon after the July 5 election, in which Juanito won, the headband-wearing street vendor turned into a political Frankenstein. He announced that, Nevermind, he'll stay as chief of Iztapalapa as the voters declared -- AMLO, Clara, and the whole deal be damned.
This of course caused a sensation. AMLO had warned Juanito -- as I witnessed at a huge rally in Iztapalapa -- against succumbing to the "siren song" of power. Acosta conveniently forgot that the people in fact did not vote for "Juanito" specifically but for Juanito as the front-man of AMLO's wing of the PRD. Yet for the first time, it seemed, a little guy was standing up to the arrogance and machinations of Mexico's political caudillos. And why not? When does a guy like Juanito -- like us? -- get to run a demarcation more populous than several Mexican states? Who cares if he's, uh, a little crazy?
For weeks, Rafael Acosta appeared on the front pages of all the D.F. papers and several magazines (including this month's Chilango). Seminal Mexican rocker Alex Lora said he'd write Juanito a song. El Universal detailed Juanito's "fifteen pleasures," revealing pertinent trivia such as his favorite team (Cruz Azul) and movie ("Rambo"). Then he went topless at the Mr. Mexico competition, and everyone loved him for it.
Meanwhile, Juanito armed himself with a war-room to prepare for his administration, while it seemed like every politician who was not immediately allied with AMLO was willing to give Juanito a chance -- if only to further weaken and fracture the left until the next election in 2012. Juanito was more than willing to oblige; tabloids published photos of Juanito meeting with the local head of the PAN, the boogeyman conservatives.
Then, just when the spectacle couldn't get any weirder, the delegado-electo emerged from a meeting with Mayor Marcelo Ebrard on Monday and abruptly announced he would not assume office on October 1 after all -- seriously this time. AMLO-allied groups in Iztapalapa were organizing rallies against him, and a poll found he was in fact not more popular in the borough than Clara Brugada. Ebrard reportedly told Juanito he could guarantee his safety and that there could be social unrest in Iztapalapa if he did not honor his side of the pre-election deal.
But who knows what was really said between the two men. El Universal reported that Ebrard was told, "He's crazy," and then somehow convinced Juanito it would be worth his while to step aside. On Thursday, he took office, then filed for a leave of 59 days, naming Clara Brugada as his successor. Along the way, he took off his red PT necktie and stomped on it, shouting incoherently, "Traitors! PR ... PT!" His career as delegado of Iztapalapa over in just a couple hours, Juanito was whisked out of the D.F. legislative assembly hall through a back-door, and is reportedly heading to the beach.
I count myself among the many people in Mexico City who were torn about what to think of Juanito. In some way, he is a victim of the political status quo, and an unlikely sort of a hero. On the other hand, the thought of a clownish "Juanito" running a place as big and complicated as Iztapalapa was ... a little frightening.
We'll see what Rafael Acosta has planned for 2012. Juanito, Hope?
* BLOG NOTE: Intersections goes dark until November 1. Please be patient as I complete revisions on the draft of my book. As ever, thanks for the comments and feedback! Heart, D.