Mexico CITY: For the first time in history, Mexicans will vote on Sunday whether their president should serve the rest of his term. It has been a strange journey for this vote. For one thing, President Andres Manuel lopez obrador Asked for it himself. The president was outraged when election officials set up a limited number of polling stations to save money.
Second, there is little chance that the minimum 40% of voters needed to legalize the referendum – about 40 million – will show up.
And third, there is little chance of losing López Obrador, who has a current approval rating of around 60%.
So why is Mexico going with the vote, which will cost about $80 million?
Analysts say that López Obrador wanted to call back his supporters to organize and energize; He is a president who has been on a relentless campaign trail since 2005, and has portrayed his administration as a common battle to defeat conservatives.
That’s why he’s hoping that the get-out-the-vote effort will shore up his party in state elections this year, with the potential impact of the 2024 presidential race. The ballot asks whether López Obrador should continue as president or be replaced.
While some opposition groups have called on people to boycott the vote, some opponents actually want to try to win, and say people should vote to recall the president.
Martin Meneses, 58, a formal postal worker, says such a vote is “important, so the president can see that people are waking up from their sleep.”
Like many opponents, Menis López views Obrador’s highly personal, charismatic style as a weak democracy. The president has lashed out at criticism, verbally attacked journalists, lashed out at judges whose decisions he disagrees with and brushed off nuances such as environmental impact statements for his pet construction projects.
Menis sees the vote as another expensive game to be played by López Obrador to keep himself center stage. Referring to the government’s failure to buy enough medicine to treat childhood cancer, Menis objected to “the cost of the stratosphere to hold a vote when children with cancer do not have access to the drug.”
Supporters of the president consider the vote equally important.
Maria Hernandez, a 70-year-old housewife Mexico CityThe rough neighborhood of Colonia Obrera is very aware of the old age stipend of about $75 a month established by López Obrador.
“In good times and bad, we have to be with him, because if he’s not here, they’ll take away the benefits we have,” Hernandez said. “They can’t remember the man who helped us.”
Abel Medina, 40, a small tortilla ship owner in the historic city of Mexico City, said the vote “would be worth it to legitimize the president.”
“We now have a good president, not like the past who completely dug us out by selling them to state-owned companies,” Medina said. “That’s why we ant to keep him going.”
If it’s unlikely to have any real effect, other than the money spent, what’s the harm in holding a vote?
Reuben Salazar, director of the Atellect consulting firm, said there are dangers in the way López Obrador’s administration is trying to boost enthusiasm for the vote; In the last presidential referendum, there has been a rare vote.
“The government’s own campaign system has carried out a very intense campaign using public money,” Salazar said, adding that “those receiving social benefits programs have been pressured” to vote.
This remains a concern; Mexico was ruled by the old people for seven decades Institutional Revolutionary Partyor PRIs, who regularly trade hand-out programs in exchange for votes.
Second, there is little chance that the minimum 40% of voters needed to legalize the referendum – about 40 million – will show up.
And third, there is little chance of losing López Obrador, who has a current approval rating of around 60%.
So why is Mexico going with the vote, which will cost about $80 million?
Analysts say that López Obrador wanted to call back his supporters to organize and energize; He is a president who has been on a relentless campaign trail since 2005, and has portrayed his administration as a common battle to defeat conservatives.
That’s why he’s hoping that the get-out-the-vote effort will shore up his party in state elections this year, with the potential impact of the 2024 presidential race. The ballot asks whether López Obrador should continue as president or be replaced.
While some opposition groups have called on people to boycott the vote, some opponents actually want to try to win, and say people should vote to recall the president.
Martin Meneses, 58, a formal postal worker, says such a vote is “important, so the president can see that people are waking up from their sleep.”
Like many opponents, Menis López views Obrador’s highly personal, charismatic style as a weak democracy. The president has lashed out at criticism, verbally attacked journalists, lashed out at judges whose decisions he disagrees with and brushed off nuances such as environmental impact statements for his pet construction projects.
Menis sees the vote as another expensive game to be played by López Obrador to keep himself center stage. Referring to the government’s failure to buy enough medicine to treat childhood cancer, Menis objected to “the cost of the stratosphere to hold a vote when children with cancer do not have access to the drug.”
Supporters of the president consider the vote equally important.
Maria Hernandez, a 70-year-old housewife Mexico CityThe rough neighborhood of Colonia Obrera is very aware of the old age stipend of about $75 a month established by López Obrador.
“In good times and bad, we have to be with him, because if he’s not here, they’ll take away the benefits we have,” Hernandez said. “They can’t remember the man who helped us.”
Abel Medina, 40, a small tortilla ship owner in the historic city of Mexico City, said the vote “would be worth it to legitimize the president.”
“We now have a good president, not like the past who completely dug us out by selling them to state-owned companies,” Medina said. “That’s why we ant to keep him going.”
If it’s unlikely to have any real effect, other than the money spent, what’s the harm in holding a vote?
Reuben Salazar, director of the Atellect consulting firm, said there are dangers in the way López Obrador’s administration is trying to boost enthusiasm for the vote; In the last presidential referendum, there has been a rare vote.
“The government’s own campaign system has carried out a very intense campaign using public money,” Salazar said, adding that “those receiving social benefits programs have been pressured” to vote.
This remains a concern; Mexico was ruled by the old people for seven decades Institutional Revolutionary Partyor PRIs, who regularly trade hand-out programs in exchange for votes.