In his first public address since leaving office in October 2024, former President Andrés Manuel López Obrador presented his latest book, “Grandeza” (“Greatness”), in which he proposes a reinterpretation of Mexico’s cultural history.
In a video posted on his social media accounts, López Obrador explained that the book constitutes the first part of a larger publishing project, based on what he calls “the twin pillars of Mexican humanism.”
“Grandeza” — which will be published by Planeta publishing house — focuses on the first pillar: Mexico’s rich cultural legacy.
López Obrador (AMLO) described his new book as a vindication of Mexico’s cultural richness from an Indigenous perspective.
“Thanks to the legacy of knowledge, values, customs, traditions and art [the Indigenous] left behind, Mexico, despite everything, continues to be a cultural power in the world,” he said.
López Obrador makes the argument that what we’ve been told about these civilizations is a “false, simulated history,” constructed from the vision of the conquerors and perpetuated by the oligarchies.
In “Grandeza,” the former president seeks to replace that traditional reading with a narrative that recognizes the greatness of Indigenous cultures, their relevance and their impact on national life.
“This book is the story of our cultures, of our civilizations,” he said. “The goal is to dismantle, to tear down the history created by the invaders and maintained during centuries of elite domination.”
AMLO’s announcement included a familiar critique of the Spanish conquistadores, and of Spain itself. “Greed and corruption,” he said, “were brought here by the Spanish.”
To illustrate the charge, he invoked a historical passage about Hernán Cortés to illustrate the difference between the Indigenous worldview and the mentality of the invaders who “simply came to plunder.” When Moctezuma gave gold to the conquistadors, they reacted “like monkeys,” López Obrador said. When asked why it mattered so much, Cortés is said to have responded: “We have a disease of the heart that can only be cured with gold.”
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As president, AMLO would invoke the Conquest to rally nationalist sentiment. His words often antagonized Spain, such as when he insisted that the king “publicly and officially” acknowledge the abuses committed during the conquest of Mexico.
This episode resulted in a cooling of diplomatic relations between the two countries, as the Spanish Crown did not respond to López Obrador’s letter.
In October, the Spanish government used the loan of pre-Hispanic artifacts to Madrid museums to suggest that Spain might reflect on its colonial history.
The former president is already working on “the second pillar of Mexican humanism,” which will be entitled “Gloria.” Scheduled for publication next year, the book will address Mexico’s political history.
With reports from El Financiero, Infobae, Milenio, El Imparcial and El País
