The love and admiration that many Mexicans have for former president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) persist even months after the end of his presidency. He has undoubtedly cemented his place as one of the most beloved political figures in the nation’s history. Although the former president is now retired and his successor, Claudia Sheinbaum, has taken the reins of power, the deep appreciation many Mexicans feel for him remains palpable.
Since the start of his presidency in 2018, AMLO’s popularity only grew, with his image becoming ubiquitous, especially in Mexico City. Strolling through the capital’s main streets, one could easily find a variety of items bearing his name or likeness, a testament to the enduring appeal of his populist leadership. Almost five months after he stepped down, merchandise featuring el Peje (his most common moniker which derives from a popular fish dish [Pejelagarto] from his native state of Tabasco) remains a fixture, especially in Mexico City’s historic downtown. Beyond the usual array of memorabilia, street vendors continue to find creative ways to capitalize on the former president’s enduring popularity.
Among the most sought-after AMLO-themed items are plushies, figurines, tee shirts, mugs, and keychains. However, the latest sensation is a striking departure from conventional political souvenirs—AMLO has now been immortalized as Mexico’s newest folk saint. The former president is now venerated in figurine form under the name San Amlito, a small statuette sold right outside the Metropolitan Cathedral, which bears an uncanny resemblance to Saint Jude Thaddeus, Patron of Lost Causes and the most popular Catholic saint in the country.
The cartoonish figure is modeled after an animated depiction of López Obrador that has been circulating for several years but with a twist—San Amlito is barefoot and decked out in a new outfit. He dons a white tunic with a red sash draped across his chest, while another sash with the colors of the Mexican flag, red, white, and green, is visible on the opposite side. Like Saint Jude, the new folk saint holds a staff in his hand, reinforcing the imagery of a saintly shepherd tending to his vulnerable flock.
The figurine—dubbed El Santo del Pueblo (The People’s Saint)—sells for 200 pesos ($10). It stands just 6 inches tall, is crafted from plaster, and sits atop a wooden base inscribed with the name San Amlito. Vendors market the likeness of the living folk saint as a miraculous figure capable of granting miracles, complete with a tongue-in-cheek prayer:
San AMLITO: Don’t leave us all alone
San Andrés: Run for re-election.
San Manuel: Your people love you, don’t abandon them
San Peje: Ensure that voters don’t lose their way at the polls
San Obrador: Protect us from corrupt thieves, oh Lord
Señor López: Rid us of the traitorous oligarchs
Beloved AMLO: We will love you even after you’re gone
San AMLITO: No nos dejes tan solitos
San Andrés: Reeligete otra vez
San Manuel: Tu pueblo te ama, no te separes de él
San Peje: Cuida que la gente en las urnas no se apendeje
San Obrador: Protégenos de los ladrones corruptos, señor
Señor López: Elimina a los vende patrias oligarcas torpes
AMLO Querido: Te seguiremos amando aún cuando ya te hayas ido
“Te brindaremos señor esta humilde alabanza porque el pueblo se cansa de tanta pinche tranza”
The prayer concludes with a defiant nod to López Obrador’s anti-corruption rhetoric:
“We offer you, oh Lord, this humble praise, because the people are tired of so much damn fraud.”
With AMLO’s image now transcending politics into the realm of religious iconography, San Amlito is yet another testament to his saintly status among his most fervent supporters and the intriguing popularity of folk saints in the country with second second-largest Catholic population on the planet and the second greatest relative Catholic population (77%) in the Americas behind top-ranking Paraguay.
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