Petitions Submitted to Harvard on Mexican Ex-President Calderon's First Day on Campus Think Mexican
go to original January 30, 2013

Calderon in Harvard (Alfonso Cardenal)

Two petitions (eng/esp) with nearly 35,000 signatures each asking Harvard to rescind Felipe Calderón’s yearlong fellowship were submitted to the university president’s offices on Tuesday.

Eduardo Cortés, one of the petition authors, says Calderón going to Harvard is an attempt to improve his image and legitimatize his “failed administration.” Also present was John Randolph, former US Border Patrol agent who was first to circulate a petition after it was announced Calderón would be heading to Cambridge.

As with other controversial head of states that have to come to the United States after leaving office, petitions have not been enough to pressure their host universities to rescind their teaching position or fellowship. In fact, unsustained protests may not be enough either.

In the case of Harvard, the school president has reaffirmed his support of Calderón in recent days.

The only thing Harvard will listen to are major protests on campus and the bad press that will come with it.

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