Today has become a very busy day, and I don’t have the time for a post, but I recommend that you read Mary O’Grady’s article on how Monterrey tycoon Alfonso Romo, whom AMLO has named chief of staff of his proposed cabinet, got richer quick through a 2004 IPO and buyback of sorts.
Well, he IS from Monterrey. As the regional stereotyping in Mexico goes, people from Monterrey are always on the lookout to make a buck- any way they can. Sounds like AMLO’s friend. Or as people from Monterrey will tell you, nothing of importance happens in Mexico that doesn’t have someone from Monterrey involved. Also sounds like AMLO’s friend.
It is a bit ironic that AMLO, who has long presented himself as the champion of the poor, to be involved with Alfonso Romo. OTOH, hypocrisy has long been characteristic of Mexican politicians, from when the PRI ruled the country. (Remember Lopez Portillo, he of “Fight like a dog to defend the peso” fame and also the owner of Dog Hill.) AMLO, not surprisingly, once was a PRI honcho, so he is simply reverting to type.
The way many Mexicans look at people from Monterrey looks like some long-time stereotyping of Jews. Perhaps not coincidentally, northern Mexico appears to have been a refuge for Conversos.
I was able to use the Monterrey stereotype/reputation to identify the regional origins of my next door neighbor. We were once chatting outside, when she mentioned that she was going to continue working hard, no matter what the difficulty. “Eres de Monterrey (Are you from Monterrey)?” Yes, she was.
A Tejano friend- not the above neighbor- researched his ancestry and discovered a Converso ancestor from Monterrey.