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David Puente is the anchor for ABC News' "Exclusiva." He regularly reports on immigration and politics in Latin America and the Hispanic community in the U.S.
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Mexico's Upcoming Presidential Election
June 22, 2006 3:39 PM
Mexico's presidential elections are just over a week away. Leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador , of the Democratic Revolution Party, seems to be up slightly (in some polls) over conservative rival Felipe Calderon of the governing National Action Party. Mexican law forbids the standing president from campaigning for his party's candidate. But if it were possible, would campaigning by Fox benefit Calderon?
When Fox was elected the PRI (Institutional Revolutionary Party) had a strong hold on federal politics. It was the party that produced one president after another for decades. There were high hopes put on Fox's presidency - a new Mexico, one led by a different party. Now the PRI candidate Roberto Madrazo has slipped to a solid third place in this campaign.
Since Fox is a conservative like George W. Bush, there were hopes for unprecedented cooperation between the neighbors. But 9/11 got in the way of the Bush/Fox relationship and the US shifted its attention from the South to the Mid East.
Six years later and Mr. Calderon cannot ride on the coat tails of President Fox. In fact their party - the PAN - is not expected to get a majority in the Congress, (none of the political parties are expected to). So on July 2, we may find that Mexicans have opted for change once again with a new party and the hopes for a new, better Mexico. We'll keep you posted.
June 22, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (2)
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I repeatedly read "but 9-11 got in the way". I distinctly remember that Bush had launched his Mexico initive and that it had been shot down by nativist at which Bush immediately dropped it like a hot potato and this all well in advance of 9-11.
It's like another famous media lie that a large crowd of Iraquis pulled down the Saddam statue. Chalabi and group of ex-patriates were the only civilians let in with the military and they pulled down the statue. It wasnt a large crowd which explains why the video is always close shot.
I understand the reason for the second lie, but I do not understand the reason for the second lie other than the need to conceal the fact that Bush ran at the first sign of political trouble and left his mexican friends hanging
Posted by: Jesus Reyes | Jun 23, 2006 2:52:40 AM
When I lived in Mexico in the 1970's, mostly during the term of Luis Echeverria Alvarez, it was absolutely unthinkable that any party except the PRI would dominate the election. Of course, with the election of PAN's Vicente Fox as president, all of that flew out the window. I think it very unfortunate that Fox could not or did not accomplish all of the reforms he wanted to in his term, since he was regarded as a necessary change to PRI politics as usual in Mexico. I think that Mexico and its always sensible people realize that, since Fox couldn't effectuate significant changes, someone else like Lopez might be able to. Also, Lopez seems by far to be the more experienced and charismatic campaigner than either Calderon or Madrazo.
I also must agree with Jesus in that Mexico has never been very important on Bush's (or on most presidents') radar, even before the incidents of September 11, unless the question of immigration arises.
Posted by: chuck | Jun 23, 2006 10:52:27 AM
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