Former president Andrés Manuel López Obrador reappeared in a video from his ranch in Palenque, Chiapas, to promote his new book 'Grandeza', which reclaims Mexico's indigenous civilizations. President Claudia Sheinbaum celebrated the event as 'a very nice piece of news' and thanked his supportive words. López Obrador emphasized his definitive retirement from politics and called for unity in the Fourth Transformation.
On November 30, 2025, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) presented his book 'Grandeza' in a nearly hour-long video filmed in the patio of his ranch 'La Chingada' in Palenque, Chiapas, surrounded by birds like chickens and a peacock. After more than a year out of the spotlight since handing over the presidency to Claudia Sheinbaum on October 1, 2024, AMLO described his daily routine: he wakes early to walk 5 kilometers on a 450-meter trail, eats breakfast prepared by a woman named Morbi, writes from 9 a.m. until noon, drinks pozol—a prehispanic nixtamalized corn beverage—and continues working until 7 or 8 p.m., checking news on a simple prepaid phone with a delay.
The book aims to dismantle 'the history invented by the conquerors' and highlight the greatness of civilizations like the Olmec, Maya, and Mexica, with advances in art, drainage, and aqueducts superior to contemporary Europe. AMLO criticized the Spanish Conquest for introducing greed, slavery, and plunder, stating they marked indigenous people 'with the king's iron' and came with a 'hunger for gold'. He invited Spaniards to read it to learn 'the horrors that were committed', debunking myths of mass indigenous human sacrifices.
AMLO insisted on his retirement: 'We must not cast a shadow on our president; she is the one steering and doing it very well. We must not divide; we must stay very united'. He would only return for threats to democracy, coups against Sheinbaum, or defense of sovereignty. 'Grandeza' will be available in bookstores next week; the next volume, 'Gloria', is set for 2026.
At the reopening of the ISSSTE hospital in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Sheinbaum celebrated: 'Today we woke up to a very nice piece of news. We saw a video this morning of President López Obrador, and we send him greetings with all our affection'. She thanked on social media: 'I appreciate his words; they encourage us to continue advancing with the Fourth Transformation'. She invited people to the Zócalo on December 6 and emphasized the movement's unity.
