elected Mayor of the largest borough in Mexico City caught at a table dance… dancing!

Juanito, elected Mayor for Mexico's City most populous borough

Rafael Acosta better known as Juanito is by far the most surreal of Mexican politicians to be in the scene for a while. Before becoming an activist (and by activist I mean being a part of demonstrations, getting beaten and beating police up) Juanito was a soft porn actor, lucha libre wrestler and a street vendor (still is). His idols are Rocky and Rambo and his favorite restaurant is a street market stall that sells shrimp with lots of ketchup.

In these past elections he received support from the influential Manuel Lopez Obrador, the left candidate who almost became president of Mexico in 2006.  The deal however was that if Juanito (from the PT) won he’d give his post to Clara Brugada, Obrador’s actual choice, who wasn’t able to win the nomination for candidate (PRD) because of internal conflicts in the party.

Juanito accepted the terms, and to the surprise of everyone he won the election for Mayor of Iztapala, Mexico City’s most populous borough. He surprised everyone even more days after when he rebelled and claimed that he had won the election and that he was going to become Mayor of the borough disregarding the deal.

Unfortunately the entertainment is over. After a meeting with Marcelo Ebrad, Mexico’s City Mayor Juanito gave a news conference in which he declared that due to heart problems he would after all resign his post and give it to Clara Brugada.

Juanito wasn’t actually caught at a table dance dancing. But he might as well have been. These are some images of the real Juanito. Someone please write a Wiki entry about him!

Juanito

Thank You Baby Jesus because we are going to the worldcup!!!

Thank You Baby Jesus because we are going to the worldcup!!!

“Thank you baby Jesus because we are going to the worldcup!!! Thanks you because we beat Honduras, Costa Rica and Landon Donovan’s big head gringos. José Ramirez Gomez. September 28, 2009.”

This illustration is inspired by retablos, or ex-votos which are devotional painting usually drawn in a naif style by people who’ve had no training in art,  but that draw them to a saint or virgin of their devotion as a Thank you for the fulfillment of something they’ve asked for.

ex-voto

This is one of my favorites. It is of a man thanking Saint Jude for not getting caught while cheating with his friend’s wife and asking for forgiveness because the flesh is weak.

Santo Niño del futbol in Tacuba

And this a photograph of “el Santo Niño del futbol”, a  baby Jesus located in a church in Tacuba, Mexico City that gets dressed up with the national team’s uniform every time there in important soccer match.

Landon Donovan has a big forehead.

Gandhi in Chiapas

Gandhi in Chiapas

This is an image I put together for my friend Aaron Sinift’s 5 Year Plan project. The project entails the making of a handmade book and is meant to be a seva, a service to honor Gandhi. The book will be printed in Chennai, India in collaboration with Tara Books and will feature the work of 32 artists (including me, yay!).  To find out more about the 5 year plan visit: http://www.5yearplan.org/ Some parts of the website are under construction, so be sure to check it out again at a later date.

Gandhi Print

This is the image I made for the book. I tried keeping the colors to a minimum since it is going to be silk-screened. When Aaron told me about the project I immediately wanted to relate it to Mexico, my country of origin and inspiration; and a country with many parallels to India. If you don’t believe me check out this gorgeous photography book: India-México, Vientos paralelos.

I thought of the Zapatista movement, because the idea of self –sufficiency that Gandhi and Aaron’s project are trying to promote very much resonates with that movement for indigenous autonomy in Chiapas. I must admit though, that I am not very up to date with any recent news about the Zapatistas. I appreciate any good leads in the subject, especially about later, rather than early events.

MJ’s b-day in Mexico City, José M Hernández and Spidey Mouse

Michael Jackson's b-day in Mexico City

José M Hernández, Mexican-American astronaut and twitterer

Disney bought Marvel Comics this week= Spidey-mouse