Politically Inspired Jeers Interrupt Celebration of Mexico Independence

It isn’t often that Miss Mexico is booed at a Mexican independence day observance in Los Angeles.

But this nonpolitical symbol of good will heard jeers this year because she had the misfortune of mentioning the outgoing president of Mexico when opposition to his regime is so intense that it has crossed the border into Southern California’s Mexican community.

The booing, on the steps of City Hall Thursday night, lent a political tone to the usually festive 16th of September independence day event, which ends Sunday.

An estimated 800 of the 5,000 spectators took part in the demonstration. Members and followers of the Mexican Voting Rights Coalition, they were continuing their protest of July’s Mexican presidential election, in which Carlos Salinas de Gortari of the PRI was declared the winner amid charges of fraud. He succeeds Miguel de la Madrid, another president from PRI, which has ruled the country for six decades. The party has won every national election by huge majorities until the last one when, amid charges of election fraud, the opposition cut heavily into PRI’s victory margin.

“We believe the PRI should clarify all the (election) irregularities presented by the opposition,” coalition spokesman Pablo Quiroz said Friday.

Miguel Gonzales Avelar, Mexico’s visiting secretary of education and a PRI leader, was booed when he gave the traditional el grito de independencia-- independence day shout--in which the names of heroes of the successful 1810 revolt from Spanish rule are invoked.

Appeal to Consulate

The coalition said it had appealed to the Mexican Consulate’s office to name Father Luis Olivares, a community-minded priest from the historic Our Lady Queen of Angels Church in Los Angeles, to give el grito but it had been ignored.

Gonzales Avelar was interrupted by cries of “President Cardenas!” and “Fraud!” and “Muerta el mal gobierno” (death to bad government).

Political activism spurred by the Mexican election has been more visible in Los Angeles this year than at any time in recent memory. Frequent demonstrations by small groups of supporters of opposition presidential candidate Cuauhtemoc Cardenas were held this summer outside the Mexican Consulate at the Plaza at Olvera Street.

Los Angeles City Councilman Richard Alatorre was also confronted with booing by the anti-PRI faction.

The audience was quieter when City Councilwoman Gloria Molina spoke because she avoided mentioning names of Mexican officials.

Quiroz said the coalition is also demanding that Mexican citizens living outside Mexico be given the right to vote in elections there.

Friendlier Company

Friday, Alatorre found himself in friendlier company when he appeared with Democratic presidential candidate Michael S. Dukakis at an independence day celebration at Roosevelt High School.

Downtown independence day celebrations will be held today and Sunday. The Mexican Chamber of Commerce is holding its 16th annual Commercial and Cultural Fair in El Pueblo de Los Angeles State Historical Park. The fair features Latino entertainers as well as cultural and information booths and Latino foods and beverages.

Jose Castellanos, a chamber vice president, said that it is the largest Mexican independence day celebration in Southern California and is expected to draw 400,000 visitors. The fair is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.