Ladies and gentlemen, world leaders.

It is a pleasure to speak to you on the occasion of the 75th Anniversary of the Organization of the United Nations.

I represent a great country – Mexico.  It has a cultural and historical tradition like that of other peoples of the world. I could talk to you about the great civilizations that were part of the foundation of what today is our country. Of the great cultures that flourished in what is now Mexico. I speak of civilization, I speak of cultures because those that conquer, that dominate, that colonize, always try to justify their atrocities by undermining the indigenous populations by calling them savages or barbarians. This is not the case of Mexico, of our people, as it is also not the case of other peoples of the world that have been dominated, conquered, colonized. We have an extraordinary history, one of fighting for freedom, for justice, for equality, for the defense of our national sovereignty. There are three great transformations in the history of Mexico.

First, our independence, when after 300 years of being a colony we obtained our independence, this was the first transformation, at the beginning of the XIX century. Two rebel priests, Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla and José María Morelos y Pavón led a movement to achieve the independence of Mexico and they also led a movement in favor of justice, because they were the first to proclaim the abolition of slavery.

Then in the mid XIX century we had the second transformation, a very important one and of global transcendence, the Reform Movement, that was led by a great leader, a liberal, the best president that our history has known, an indigenous Zapotec – Benito Juárez García. He was known as the Outstanding Patriot of the Americas. His behavior and fame were so important that Benito Mussolini is named after him because his father wanted to name him after Benito Juárez. What did our hero do with the reform that was completed during his time? He separated State and Church before other countries did so, putting into practice the biblical principle of “render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and unto God the things that are God’s”.

Then at the end of the XIX century and beginning of the XX century there was a third transformation – the Mexican Revolution of 1910. It was a fight for democracy because there was a dictatorship that had been imposed for 34 years. It was a fight for freedom to be guaranteed and it was also a fight for justice. The Flores Magón brothers, very important social leaders, were precursors of that revolution. Of course, a good man, an apostle of democracy, was cowardly assassinated – Francisco I. Madero – as well as social leaders such as Francisco Villa, and a leader that defended peasants and that was loyal to the people – Emiliano Zapata.

With this third transformation, much progress was made in the social realm, however, not enough was made in the political realm because an authentic and true democracy was not able to be established in the country. After the revolution a political party was created and it dominated during many years, and only now are we taking the first steps to make Mexico a truly authentic democratic country. Possibly because of the lack of democracy, among other factors, public life was spoiled. Political corruption began to reign, and this was Mexico’s main problem for a long time. Our country, which is one with many natural resources, that has good lands for agricultural production, water in abundance, oil, mines and a good, noble, hard-working people. Our country is a holder of a millennial cultural heritage, from where the vocation for work and creativity comes from. In spite of all this, we could not advance because of reigning corruption. We had been fighting for a long time to achieve a true change in the country and after many years the people of Mexico decided to elect us, and we have proposed to carry out the fourth transformation of our country’s political life.

I have already spoken about the independence, the reform and the revolution and now we are committed to carry out the fourth transformation of the country’s public life, without violence and in a peaceful manner. And we are achieving this even though we are facing two crises, in the same way as other countries around the world. We are facing the Coronavirus – COVID-19 – pandemic, a terrible disease. And we are also facing what was unleashed, produced or originated by this pandemic – an economic crisis – just like in other countries. We are facing at the same time two crises, but we are coming out of them. We are advancing, facing the pandemic. We have acted with responsibility, many experts have helped us – scientists, doctors, nurses, health workers – that have committed to humanism in order to save lives. And we are moving forward, the harmful effects of the pandemic are diminishing. What matters most to us is saving lives, and progress is being made. The same progress is being made in the economic aspect because we did not apply the same strategy of acquiring more debt, of rescuing those at the top under the false logic that if it rains heavily above, it drips down. As if wealth was contagious. 

What did we do? We are supporting the people directly from the bottom-up. We are allocating resources that are the result of savings because we do not allow corruption. They are also the result of the republican austerity, because there are no longer luxuries within the government. I want to tell you that there used to be a Presidential plane, it still exists, but it is up for sale. We have raffled it and we are going to sell it. This plane is like a palace in the sky, something insulting for our people, a luxury plane for 240 passengers that was adapted for 80. It has a meeting room, bedrooms, I repeat, it is offensive. So now the President of Mexico, who is speaking to you, travels by road, in vehicles, in commercial airplanes. Government employees are no longer allowed to use private helicopters.

Among other things that disappeared is an elite force that would take care of the President’s security. Do you know how many people were in charge of the President’s security? 8,000 individuals. It was an institution that was created a long time ago, the Presidential General Staff. This is how we have ended luxuries and extravagances. There cannot be a rich government with a poor people. Therefore, the formula is to not allow corruption and to save money, and to not have ostentation and luxuries within the government and to free funds for development.

This is what is being invested downwards, along with the support of our migrant countrymen, those who out of necessity went to find work in the United States – there are already 38 million Mexicans. Those that were born here and those that have been born there from Mexican parents. 38 million are helping us by sending economic support to their families in Mexico, also known as remittances. This year, in spite of the pandemic, will be a record year for remittances, around 40 billion dollars will be received. And this money arrives on a monthly basis to 10 million poor families in our country. Therefore, with what we are investing as a government and with remittances we are strengthening consumption, and in spite of the pandemic and the crisis, there is no hunger in our country. We are guaranteeing basic consumption for millions of Mexicans.

Little by little our economy is recovering, this is also complemented by the fact that we just signed an agreement with the United States and Canada, a treaty that is already in effect. This means that investment is already arriving in our country, businesses are being set up and they are creating jobs that will benefit the Mexican people.

I have a lot of faith in the future of Mexico, but I also have a lot of faith in the future of the world, I am a believer and my creed is that of universal brotherhood. That is why I send you all a warm embrace from Mexico City, capital of our Republic.