Back in 2017 after I first showed up to Mexico, I remember walking around and checking out different stores.
Specifically, I was having troubles with my laptop and so I was trying to find some place that would fix it.
Ultimately, I just gave up as I didn't like the very few options I could find in the area I was in and chose on Best Buy in Buenavista instead.
Which was pretty damn good for fixing my problems.
Anyway, while I was walking around, I noticed something funny in one particular store.
It had various piñatas on sell and one of them happened to look like a specific President from the US.
Can you guess who?
I already know what you are thinking!
No. It wasn't James K. Polk that took Texas from Mexico.
Though I wouldn't blame you for guessing that!
Actually, it was Donald Trump.
Donald "fuck the Mexicans" Trump.
I just took a good look at it, had a laugh and carried on.
If I could go back in time, I would've done more investigative work.
Asking any shop owners selling those if they happen to get a lot of customers wanting the Trump piñata.
Is it a big hit at birthday parties?
What about weddings?
And that was the only time too that I ever saw a "Trump piñata."
Though I failed to take a photo of that one, I did find one online that you can see here.
And, for those curious, there are various other articles that went viral on the internet regarding the "Trump piñata" in Mexico as you can see here, and here for example.
Furthermore, if you wish to have your own Trump piñata, then you can buy one here I guess.
It is a topic that you might encounter when learning about Mexico.
Just recently, I saw the same topic brought up again on Twitter that reminded me of this detail about Mexico.
You can see the Tweet here.
Where, as you can see, the Mexican hate doesn't end at Trump.
They have other enemies worthy of making a piñata for!
In this case, it seems that Miley Cyrus seemingly earned the ire of Mexicans also.
As you can read here, she wiped her ass with the Mexican flag while twerking on stage.
Therefore, she gets "the Mexican beating!"
No, not with the chancla!
Would Mexicans ever beat up a piñata with a chancla?
With a bat assumingly!
Smash her wrecking ball good.
Still, for those curious on some of the history behind all of this, I found an interesting article that explains it.
Information on the Piñata
The article in question can be found here with some key quotes below:
"El origen de la piñata mexicana aún es un misterio. Según un artículo de la Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores hay varias teorías que lo explican."
"Es posible que los colonizadores españoles hayan llevado un artefacto similar al continente americano."
"Más tarde, la piñata también se volvió parte de las fiestas de cumpleaños y los artesanos, además de la tradicional forma de estrella, también optaron por crear figuras de personajes de caricaturas, historietas o videojuegos para adaptarse al gusto de los niños del siglo XX."
"Sin embargo, la piñata también se ha utilizado para demostrar repudio a figuras públicas y Trump no ha sido el primero. Durante la crisis económica de los noventa en México, muchas protestas incluían romper una piñata con la forma del expresidente Carlos Salinas, quien consideraban el principal culpable del declive. Desde entonces se han hecho piñatas de cada presidente de México con el mismo propósito."
To give a basic summary in English for those who don't speak Spanish:
Basically, the origin of the piñata is a mystery. There are various theories on it.
Maybe the Spanish brought it over during the colonial era?
Then the piñata began to be used for birthday parties, celebrations and more but also eventually became part of a way to shit on public figures like Trump.
Trump was not the first piñata to get beaten though.
The tradition of kicking the shit out of a piñata based on a public figure you hate goes back to at least former Mexican President Carlos Salinas during the economic crisis that occurred under his administration in the 1990s.
Since Carlos Salinas, you've had piñatas of every other Mexican President out there.
Out of curiosity, I decided to look into that.
The Piñatas of Mexican Presidents
First, we have the Mexican President AMLO as this article goes into detail about here:
"Como ya se ha hecho una tradición, la Piñateria Ramírez en Reynosa, Tamaulipas, fabricó una piñata alusiva al presidente de México, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), sosteniendo un 'avioncito presidencial' y un boleto para la gran rifa que se llevará a cabo en septiembre próximo."
Diputados del PRD rompen piñata de AMLO en su festejo navideño
Before AMLO, we have one for the previous President Peña Nieto before him as you can see here:
"La encargada de la empresa Piñatas Susy, Martha Aguilera, explicó que la idea se debe a que "hay mucha inconformidad (por la violencia en el país), entonces hay que encontrar algo para que la gente se desahogue".
La "peñata" -palabra que obviamente conjuga el término piñata y el apellido del mandatario- se vende a un valor equivalente a 10 dólares en Monterrey, la capital del estado norteño Nuevo León."
Instalan piñata con imagen de Peña Nieto para explotarla | Al Rojo Vivo | Telemundo
For Mexican President Felipe Calderon, I wasn't able to find anything in a few minutes.
Similarly, for President Vicente Fox, I couldn't find anything for him either (though many do hate him like they hate Calderon) but I did find this information here of Fox beating up a Trump piñata.
"El ex presidente Vicente Fox sigue en labatalla por criticar el discurso antiinmigrante del candidato Donald Trump y no se quedó con las ganas de golpearlo…aunque fuera su piñata."
"Ya cuando le dieron el bat, pidió que se alejaran, dejó sutaco y empezó a golpear la piñata de Trump con granímpetu, mientras alentó a la gente a cantar“dale, dale, dale, no pierdas el tino”.
Vicente Fox rompe piñata de Trump en LA
Anything to Add?
Anyway, that's all I got to say.
If you have any interesting examples of who else Mexico likes to beat up piñata style, then say so in the comments!
It's not the most important topic of the day but an interesting one anyhow regarding life here in Mexico and the little details you notice.
In this case how seemingly Mexicans have a habit of making piñatas of those they dislike to smash up later for birthdays or maybe just for the lolz.
If you have any other interesting examples though or anything to add to the topic, leave a comment below.
Follow my Twitter here.
Enjoy this last video also of Mexicans destroying a Trump piñata.
And thanks for reading.
Best regards,
Matt