In October the Mexican billionaire Ricardo Salinas Pliego hosted hundreds of guests at his hacienda, a former sugar plantation in the mountain town of Malinalco. It was his 70th birthday party, featuring live music by the American rock band Chicago. A week later he invited more than 20,000 to a Mexico City sports arena. There, a drag performer mocked the country’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum. Salinas then took the stage. “Presidente, Presidente!” the crowd chanted, imploring him to challenge the current government.