The term “corcholata” comes from the American-made “Crown Caps”, which were invented to cover bottles in the 19th Century.
However, in Mexico, this is also the name given to the metal stopper that hermetically closes the bottles. Hence, it has been used as a metaphor to designate candidates who are “uncorked” as a bottle.
The term “Corcholata” has become popular in the Mexican political sphere to refer to possible candidates for the presidency of the Republic in 2024, especially those who come from the Morena political party, founded by the current president Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
But where does this word come from and what does it mean in this context?
According to the president himself, the origin of the term dates back to the 1970s, when the Secretary of Hydraulic Resources and President Luis Echeverría’s childhood friend, Leandro Rovirosa, “uncorked” six presidential candidates, including José López Portillo, who was finally elected by the president in turn, which was customary back then. The elections were nothing but simulation.
At a reception at the National Palace, where there were foreign guests, López Portillo accompanied Raúl, Fidel Castro’s brother and envoy of the Cuban government. At the meeting Rovirosa said: “Yes, and this is my favorite Corcholata”, pointing at López Portillo.
According to AMLO, the term is not derogatory and refers to people who are “uncorked” to occupy an important political position. However, he has also made it clear that he does not have any “favorite Corcholata” and that it will be the people who decide who will be the next president of Mexico.
Who are Morena’s corcholatas? So far, five candidates for Morena’s presidential candidacy have registered: the Secretary of the Interior, Adán Augusto López; the former Secretary of Foreign Relations, Marcelo Ebrard; the former mayor of Mexico City, Claudia Sheinbaum; Senator Ricardo Monreal; andcontroversial Congressman Fernandez Noroña.
These five characters have expressed their loyalty to the “4T” Fourth Transformation project presided by AMLO and have expressed their willingness to submit to the survey method that will define the Morena party standard-bearer.
TYT Newsroom
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