Maurice the Cat and his fight against corruption: How cats became political symbols

Under the principle of “rats abound” in Mexican politics, a very special candidate emerged: morris cat.There’s no better solution to a rodent infestation than a feline with natural hunting skills, its application Xalapa City ChairmanThe protests in Veracruz were a protest against corruption in the country.

“I’m a cat, I don’t do much, but you can use your vote for me as a protest,” can be read in the publication on his account. Facebook. His campaign began in 2013 with a promise, like other candidates, to do nothing: rest and play but not steal from public coffers.

The popularity of felines on social networks is growing rapidly. Within days, he gained thousands of followers, which attracted the attention of local and international media. His nomination was virtual, meaning voters had to write their name in a blank box on the ballot.this feline guardian In the bio on their Facebook page, they boast that their pet received nearly 9,000 votes that time.

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Sergio and daniel is the owner MorrisThey never thought their black-and-white European cat would have such influence when, after running for mayor, they nominated him for deputy mayor. 2015 Even some people who had planned to cancel their vote in the last presidential election in 2018 put their names on the ballot.

in a newspaper interview millenniumthis The Thoughts Behind the Michigan Candidates They explained that after becoming successful on the social network, they understood the benefits and costs of fame, as their inboxes were filled with comments from users and others who wanted to “promote” the feline’s political career.

“They told us everything in the message that if it was a joke or too cool, someone else would give us their own website for free,” they commented in an interview.

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this Morris Candidacy This caused unease among some politicians in the country, as they came to view it as a mockery of democracy, while others were convinced that it would be responsible for a dirty campaign against the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). state at that time. From Veracruz.

Ten years after candidates’ political figures emerged, Facebook pages Morris It has more than 329,000 followers and administrators regularly publish publications that spark debate and update the feline on the different activities he carries out with his white sister Lola.

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Morris was one of the first politicians to make asset declarations and spoke out against corruption during his time in power. Javier Duarte Veracruz state government makes different memes to protest famous petrol bombs, immigration measures donald trump and interesting events that occurred in it Enrique Pena Nieto during his administration.

Sergio Chamarro launched his feline as a candidate without anticipating the impact it would have on social networks and so far has not explained whether he will run again in 2024, However, on July 8, 2018, he introduced a little tabby cat, Travis, on social media. The tweeter appears to be Morris’s heir apparent.