Today, political tension, highly visible student encampments, and ideological messaging at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) have fueled intense public debate and internet rumors saying that Mexico could be transitioning into a communist state.
The ruling Morena party—founded by former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) and led by President Claudia Sheinbaum—is a left-wing populist, social-democratic party that supports communist regimes such as Cuba and Venezuela. The administration’s aggressive anti-neoliberal rhetoric, state-centered economic policies, and centralization of power have led right-wing opposition groups, conservative media figures, and church officials to accuse the government of ushering in communism.
An objective breakdown explains the origin of the rumors regarding “communism,” “camps,” and “advertisements” at UNAM:
1. The Allegations of “Communism” Under Morena
- Textbook Controversies: In late 2023, the Ministry of Public Education launched new, free elementary and middle school textbooks. Prominent news anchors and opposition politicians criticized the books for featuring anti-capitalist themes, praising Soviet-era worker schools (the Rabfak), and criticizing consumerism. Critics labeled this an attempt to “inject the virus of communism” into youth, though independent education experts noted it reflected leftist nostalgia rather than a plan for a communist revolution.
- Religious and Political Backlash: Following Morena’s overwhelming electoral victories, conservative figures—including Catholic bishops—warned congregants that an “atheistic communist ideology” was imminent in Mexico.
- The Actual Communist Party View: The actual Communist Party of Mexico (PCM) views Morena as a corrupt, capitalist, reformist party that manages the economy for the wealthy elite while using social welfare programs for social control.
2. The “Camps” at UNAM
The internet rumors linking “Morena,” “communism,” and “camps” frequently conflate political changes with a major student protest at UNAM.
- Pro-Palestine Encampments: Students, Marxist collectives, and independent leftist groups set up pro-Palestine solidarity encampments outside the main Rectorate building at UNAM.
- The Nature of the Encampments: Similar to protests at U.S. universities, these students demanded that the Mexican government sever diplomatic ties with Israel and that UNAM break academic agreements with Israeli institutions. They were peaceful and tolerated by university authorities, but the visible presence of hammer-and-sickle imagery and Marxist banners within the camps fed online narratives that communist indoctrination centers were operating on campus.
3. “Advertisements” and Propaganda at UNAM
UNAM has a century-long history as a hub for left-wing intellectual thought, social movements, and student activism.
- Political Flyering: It is common for autonomous student collectives, socialist groupings, and union workers at UNAM to post flyers, banners, and manifestos advocating for anti-capitalist or socialist ideas.
- Historical Context: Right-wing groups have historically pointed to these highly visible student advertisements as evidence of “communist infiltration” at UNAM. However, the university operates under strict institutional autonomy, meaning these displays are protected student expressions rather than state-sponsored government programming.
While Mexico’s political landscape has shifted significantly to the left under Morena’s welfare capitalism, the rumors of communist camps are mischaracterizations of independent student activism and standard political polarization.
Accusations from various social sectors in Mexico against the Morena party and its administrations—alleging the implementation of communist or dictatorial ideologies—are becoming increasingly frequent and have already become a daily feature of political rhetoric in legislative debates and on social media.
By Raul de León for Mexico Daily Post
