Peña loses a “valuable” opportunity: #YoSoy132

El Milenio: Americas Program Original Translation

One of the moderators of the debate, Carlos Brito, regrets that Peña Nieto is not attending and insists that he is losing an opportunity to participate in a “historic” event.

Mexico City – Carlos Brito, a member of the social movement #YoSoy132 and one of the three moderators of the debate that will take place today, regrets that the PRI-PVEM candidate has rejected the invitation to participate in the debate he describes as “historic”.

Peña loses “a very valuable opportunity to participate in the first debate to take place outside of the institutions,” said Brito in an interview with Sergio Sarmiento y Lupita Juárez for the Radio Red network. “If I were a candidate, I would be very excited,” he added.

Brito repeated that during the debate today at 20:00 hours, there will be three rounds and one moderator for each one. The first will be with the university delegates with nine questions on nine subjects, the second will be free time, and the last will end with questions from Internet users.

On the theme of the video and audio published yesterday by Manuel Cosío, presumed former member of #YoSoy132, Brito emphasized that Cosío and Saúl Alvídrez – also involved in the controversy – have been outside the structure “for a long time,” and he rejected that the debate would be influenced in any way.

“We aren’t surprised, but we have now proven this feeling of unity and strength,” Brito replied upon being asked about this case.

#YoSoy132 separate from Cosío and Alvídrez

In a press release published on their official page, the movement assures that: “In light of the declarations of Manuel Cosío and Saúl Alvídrez, published on social networks and other media outlets, the #YoSoy132 movement denies that they speak in the name of the movement.”

Furthermore, the statement adds that those who seek to “carry out propaganda or find financing through political parties” are not part of the movement.

It condemns the increased attacks against them, “with the purpose of discrediting them,” for their “strength” that has reached a national and international level.

“In order to destroy us one would have to stop the opinion of a nation. The attacks against #YoSoy132 are irrefutable evidence of the movement's impact on awakening Mexican political culture. The Mexican youth have designed a revolution to take place, to interpret and to transmit.”

See Spanish Original.

Translation by Bonnie Ho, Americas Program