Issue and Opponent: In 2013 a huge pothole on one of Tijuana’s main highways was left unrepaired despite several petitions from citizens to the local government. The pothole, or as referred to in Spanish, el Bache, was reportedly filling up with water and was a hazard to several commuters. A widely held belief by fellow citizens was that the local government should be more attentive to preserving and repairing public infrastructure for the safety of the public.
Dilemma Action: Therefore, a group of young adults from an organization called “Amemos Tijuana” organized a birthday party for this huge pothole on February 23rd. The activists brought balloons, cake, and a piñata to celebrate the lack of government oversight. The action used elements of laughtivism to criticize and mock the lack of local government attention to this issue. The goal of this action was to hold the local government accountable for its inability to repair and maintain public infrastructure.
Outcome: As the group began to draw media attention, public workers promptly arrived at the sight to fill up and repair the pothole which had been so long forgotten. The local Tijuana government has long been accused of having direct ties to drug cartels in the region, therefore attention to their weak governance and oversight could have potentially broadcasted this tie. It was in the Tijuanan government’s best interest to address this issue before further investigations were set forth to determine why public infrastructure was not being preserved and maintained.