The Tepoztlan market in the state of Morelos, two hours south of Mexico City, is always bustling at lunchtime. People sit at the counters around the stoves, which cook tortillas on round gas-heated plates. In this town of 50,000 inhabitants, conversation flows easily among the shoppers, as many have known each other since childhood. And, just a week before the presidential election, discussions swiftly veer into political territory, with young people weaving between tables to distribute propaganda from the National Regeneration Movement (Morena), the party of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (known as "AMLO"), who has been in power since 2018.

David Porfirio Rivera, a burly 38-year-old bricklayer, sporting a tank top and cap covered in plaster, picked up the flyer and loudly called out: "The best president Mexico has ever known." The man is not a Morena activist, but he "admires the president." Beside him, his two colleagues laughed: "He advertises every chance he gets for AMLO." And, indeed, David recited in one breath the arguments of those in power: "Our salaries have doubled, our vacation days have doubled, and we've never lacked work even though the opposition said the economy would collapse if we improved our conditions. AMLO dared to confront them and defend us."

Around the table, people nodded, smiled, and joked about something the president had just said about bosses. On the benches, the customers who spent barely €2 to eat were all workers or farmers. None of them receive direct social assistance, but they all have elderly relatives who benefit from the "universal pension" of €70 a month, now enshrined in the Constitution and indexed to inflation. It is paid to all Mexicans from the age of 68, and 65 for natives.

"It's not much, but it makes a huge difference. Before, we had to help our parents," said cook Madinina Meza preparing tortillas. Her daughter receives a scholarship (€50 a month) to study. "This pays for her meals and transport to university, but her older brother never received any help and preferred to work at 19 rather than study," said the mother.

Jorge Linarez, 62, a beekeeper who sells his honey at the market, pointed out that he receives no benefits and is no richer since the Left took power in 2018, but said: "I defend AMLO because he's close to the people, he knows our difficulties. He's the first head of state I listen to because he talks about us, the poor of this country."

There is little doubt that all will cast a vote for Morena's candidate, Claudia Sheinbaum, in the presidential election on June 2nd, as the Mexican Constitution prohibits President "AMLO" from running for re-election. While the former mayor of Mexico City has held a significant lead over Xochitl Galvez, the right-wing opposition candidate, since the beginning of this campaign, it is primarily due to the continued popularity of the president, which remains around 60% approval after six years in office.

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