Congress has a historic opportunity

For 628 Mexicans, Wednesday was a day to celebrate. They wore their Sunday best to attend a special ceremony: to take office as Deputies and Senators in the Union Congress . Lots of smiles, kisses, hugs, and pictures, in a space that has been characterized by division, quarrels, verbal attacks and a scarce productive dialogue in recent Legislatures .

The 64th Legislature begins on Saturday, whose responsibility will be to make both chambers, once again, generators of laws and agreements to benefit the majority of the population and to contribute to the national development.

In the last six-year terms, the legislators , especially the Deputies have had the chance to approve a public spending budget focused on easing the population's needs or to fight insecurity through measures to create modern and efficient police corporations, but that wasn't the case. On the contrary, they benefited their legislative groups with millionaire allocations and approved, without hesitation, resources to grant themselves benefits no other workers in this country have. It's worth remembering that they granted themselves a “secret” bonus at the end of the year.

Morena's bench leaders

have offered to get rid of the millionaire benefits, as well as “luxuries, privileges, and abuses”. They have calculated savings of up to MXN $4,000 million if they cut off trips, travel expenses, major medical expenses, life insurance, gas expenses, food, and the number of commissions. The expectations are high, in the face of promises to do things differently.

Starting on September 1st, Congress will begin its labors in a scenario that will be dominated by a majority legislative group, that with the help of allies could approve constitutional reforms relatively easily. Nevertheless, the participation of the rest of the benches can't be entirely contemplative. Although their presence is reduced, they have the opportunity to present themselves as an alternative voice to what will be, presumably, a group chorus. The can take advantage of the opportunity other legislators let go.

For a long time, Congress distanced itself from social causes and seemed to be living inside a bubble, where economic resources flowed without a problem, contrary to the situation of half of the country's population, who live in poverty . It's time for vindication. The legislators have the last word if not, the nation will demand it.

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