#supercivicos

By Katy Watson, BBC, 19 August 2015

Flaunting the rules is a way of life in Mexico City, but one that the Supercivicos want to change

One of Mexico’s most famous writers and intellectuals, Octavio Paz, once said that the life of a Mexican is either about being done over or doing people over.

He used a much stronger word in Spanish but you get the gist.

It is a feeling shared by many, one that basically says: “Look out for yourself because nobody else will”--and if it means breaking a few rules in the process, then so be it.

Jorge Castaneda, a former foreign secretary and author of Manana Forever? Mexico and Mexicans, says it is an attitude that goes back to colonisation and spills over into politics and business.

“The rules were laid down in Spain but it took months and months for the rules to get here,” he explains.

“In the meantime somebody had to get things done so the rules didn’t really matter because they were irrelevant.

“And the rules that were made here were relevant but they weren’t really legal. So you have this sort of split between what was legal and what was relevant almost from the very beginning.”

This rule-breaking attitude was something that Mexico City native Arturo Hernandez wanted to address after living in Miami for several years.

“I realised that in some way in the US they have authority and when you have an authority, people respect the rules,” he says.

“In Mexico, people don’t respect the rules. I began to think we should do something with comedy to take this authority and change this bad behaviour.”

And so the comedy duo Supercivicos (Super civic-minded ones) was born.

Arturo Hernandez goes by the name of Comandante Hernandez.

His partner in crime, Alex Marin y Kall, is better known as “ese wey”, Mexican Spanish for “that bloke”.

Together they are trying to make things better.

Each week they plot what they call “happenings”, little films illustrating a troublesome issue of the week.

It can be anything from confronting people who do not clear up after their dogs to people parking in spaces reserve for disabled drivers.

Once they are done with filming, they upload the video skit to YouTube and some of the less controversial ones air on television, too.

Their most successful video to date was one in which they removed campaign messages illegally plastered around Mexico City ahead of this year’s mid-term elections.

It got more than nine million views and won them instant fame.

But it is not without its risks.

“There are some mad people about,” says Comandante Hernandez, recalling how someone once threatened to pull a gun on him.

The happening I went along to was not nearly so controversial but concerning nonetheless.

Members of the public got in touch through social media to tell them about various road safety issues across the city.

They hired a hearse and a coffin for the day. Comandante Hernandez dressed up as Death, complete with a skull mask and a sceptre while ese wey came dressed as a grave-digger with his eyes blacked out and carrying a spade.

Their aim was to mockingly thank the authorities for giving them work because of the potential deaths caused by these dangerous spots.

First up was a pothole more than 1.5m (5ft) across and at least half a metre deep.

A member of the public had put some bricks around it and tape saying “caution” but according to Comandante Hernandez, the pothole had been there for two weeks and the authorities had done nothing.

Anybody driving over it would have their car written off and could face severe injury, too.

While they filmed the scene, crowds gathered, fascinated by the cackling comedians.

“In rainy season the potholes get much bigger--it’s a crater,” says bystander Loren Villalobos who works along the road.

“It’s a total lack of responsibility of the local authorities--they don’t keep us drivers safe.”

This time it is a bus stop on a busy road so badly positioned that passengers have to run across several lanes of fast-moving traffic to catch their bus.

As they are filming police arrive and tell them to move along because it is dangerous.

This is exactly what the Supercivicos want--attention from the authorities to shame them into doing something.

They keep filming while Comandante Hernandez chats to the policeman to explain why they are there.

It is all very amicable and they hope it has an effect.

“We’re bringing the message to the people that everybody can make a little change to create a better place to live,” the comedian says.

“Little by little everybody’s taking small actions and I think it’s working. It’s a small effort but it’s the best proof that two people can change things.”