Morena scandal! US responds to Jalisco councilor's anti-ICE post; Morena disassociates itself and tensions grow

Melissa Cornejo, Morena's advisor in Jalisco, sparked a diplomatic incident with an anti-ICE post. The US responded, while the national Morena disassociated itself. Implications for the border and Tijuana. Find out why you care.

A controversial social media post by Melissa Cornejo, a state councilor for the Morena party in Jalisco, supporting protests against immigration raids in the United States and taking a defiant tone toward US authorities, has sparked a political storm. US Undersecretary of State Christopher Landau responded directly. Morena has distanced itself nationally, and the incident resonates particularly strongly in border cities like Tijuana.

Mexican politics were rocked this week by an incident that quickly escalated from a social media post to a matter with diplomatic implications. Melissa Cornejo, a state councilor for Morena in Jalisco, posted a message on her X account (formerly Twitter) that was interpreted as supporting the violent protests in Los Angeles against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The message included offensive language and a challenge to have her U.S. visa revoked.

Cornejo's message, which included an image of a vehicle burned during the protests in Los Angeles, contained phrases such as "Long live the race and shove my visa up your ass..." This post did not go unnoticed. Christopher Landau, Undersecretary of State at the U.S. Department of State, personally responded to Cornejo, calling her post "vulgar" and stating that he had ordered her visa canceled. Ironically, Landau added that, after consulting with the president, he was informed that Cornejo "doesn't even have a valid visa to cancel." The advisor subsequently deleted the post and restricted access to her profile.

The Morena party's national reaction was swift and forceful. Luisa María Alcalde Luján, Morena's national president, categorically distanced herself from Melissa Cornejo's statements, stating that they "do not represent Morena's position" and that the movement "has been profoundly peaceful and will continue to be so." Alcalde called on members to conduct themselves with "responsibility and prudence," especially on issues that could generate diplomatic tensions, and underscored Morena's commitment to a relationship of respect and cooperation with the United States.

Alfonso Durazo, president of the Morena National Council, also distanced himself from the comments, emphasizing that personal expressions should not jeopardize the bilateral relationship. In Tijuana, the Border News Agency (AFN) reported on June 12 that the local Morena party also distanced itself from Cornejo's comments, indicating the party's concern with damage control and preventing the incident from escalating, especially in a region as sensitive to the United States as the border.

This episode occurs amid tensions over immigration raids in the United States, particularly in cities like Los Angeles. For a border city like Tijuana, which experiences the complexities of migration and bilateral relations daily, these types of diplomatic incidents, although originating in another part of the country, have a special resonance.

The Cornejo-Landau case highlights several crucial aspects of contemporary politics:

* The power of social media: How the individual expression of a mid-level political actor can generate international repercussions.

* Diplomatic sensitivity: The speed with which statements can be interpreted and affect relations between countries, especially on sensitive issues such as migration and border security.

* Party discipline: The need for political parties to manage their members' communications to avoid unnecessary crises and maintain a consistent official line.

* "We want to be clear: @melishcs's statements do not represent Morena's position. From its inception, our Movement has been profoundly peaceful and will continue to be so." – Luisa María Alcalde, National President of Morena.

The incident underscores the delicate balance that political actors must maintain in the digital age, where an impulsive message can have unintended and far-reaching consequences, affecting not only their personal image but also that of their party and their country's international relations.