Much was done by everyone and from below: AMLO

Mexico City“Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart… I retire with the pride and honor of having served a good, hard-working, intelligent, fraternal people, heir to the great virtues and values ​​of the ancient Mexicans; heir to the dignity and patriotism of our selfless heroes and heroines, both known and anonymous,” said President Andrés Manuel López Obrador at the conclusion of his last Government Report.

GALLERY: AMLO delivers his sixth and final report in front of thousands of citizens

The thousands of people who attended the ceremony in the capital’s Zócalo, including the president-elect, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo, officials from her government and the incoming one, as well as leaders of the 4T, gave her a standing ovation and shouted thanks for what she had done during her administration.

He praised that he is leaving peacefully because he will hand over the presidential sash to an “exceptional, experienced, honest and above all good-natured, good-hearted woman, in line with the founding principles of our transformation movement and an authentic defender of equality, freedom, justice, democracy, and sovereignty, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo.

“President, President, President, President!” the president chanted for the third time, echoed by thousands of people. She returned the gesture, with her hand on her heart.

“As you know, I am about to finish my term and I want to confess, here in the main square of the country, in the main public square of Mexico, in this main square where we have so often gathered during our fight for justice and democracy, that I am going to retire with a clear conscience and very happy.”

Nothing makes me happier, he said, “than having achieved the support of many, of you, of millions of Mexicans; to reduce poverty and inequality in the country.”

He said that “a lot was done by everyone and from below. There is no doubt that we made progress in the revolution of consciences and the foundations were laid to consolidate the new policy called Mexican humanism, which in essence is to recognize and care for those at the bottom, who remained forgotten and humiliated.”

We have made it clear, he added, “that power only makes sense and becomes a virtue when it is put at the service of others. But even with all that has been achieved, the backwardness we suffer from the long and stormy period in which the government was in the hands of insensitive oligarchs who never cared about the well-being of the people and only dedicated themselves to plundering and preventing the progress with justice of those of us who were born and live in this paradise called Mexico is still noticeable.”

For this reason, he continued, “it is essential to continue fighting to strengthen what has been achieved and to continue building a new, generous, eternal homeland. Let us keep in mind that life is too short to waste it on things that are not worth it.

“And let us never, ever forget that happiness does not reside in money, in material possessions, in titles, in fame, or in the pursuit of power for power’s sake. Happiness is being at peace with oneself, with one’s conscience and with one’s neighbor. Finally, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart, long live the people of Mexico, long live Mexico, long live Mexico, long live Mexico.”