Al Jazeera: Speculation rife over role of criminal syndicates as country votes for new president amid continuing drug violence
Juarez, Mexico - Covered in tattoos and working on a construction site in scorching desert heat is a reformed cartel assassin Luis (a pseudonym), who killed several men on orders from his bosses. "I was a bodyguard for one of the biggest gang members in Juarez," he told Al Jazeera. "We killed people, sold drugs and ran operations from inside prison and on the streets."
Luis was never interested in politics, but higher up the ranks of Mexico's notorious drug gangs, it seems likely that major players want to influence their surroundings. "All political things are like the mafia," Luis said. "I can tell you because I've been there."
As Mexicans head to the polls, analysts and security officials are split on what role wealthy criminal syndicates play in the country's political process. Along with picking a new president on Sunday, voters are electing: five governors, hundreds of congressional seats and nearly 1,000 local-level officials. Read more.
The MexicoBlog of the CIP Americas Program monitors and analyzes international press on Mexico with a focus on the US-backed War on Drugs in Mexico and the struggle in Mexico to strengthen the rule of law, justice and protection of human rights. Relevant political developments in both countries are also covered.
Jul 1, 2012
What does #Iam132 mean for Mexican youth?
El Pais: Americas Program Original Translation by Anna Moses
See Spanish Original.
The aspirations of young Mexicans are very different, and equally real, like the slogan of a student protest in Mexico City- "Be informed, vote, and turn off the stupid television"- and painted on a wall in a provincial town: "I would prefer to die young and rich than old and broken like my father."
The first phrase is a slogan of the "I am #132" movement, the first far-reaching political youth movement of the century, the modern, urban and technological face of the new generation. A critical wave that began in the social networks in May, the movement took to the streets of the capital with a tide of young people that denounced the supposed alliance between the big communication networks and the PRI candidate, Enrique Peña Nieto, front runner for the elections on July 1st.
The movement threw the PRI campaign into confusion and damaged the PRI’s voting expectations, however, not bringing it down from its first place in the polls, and had such an influence that three of the four candidates- with the exception of Peña Nieto- participated in a student-organized debate.
The other phrase is on a wall in Culiacán, capital of Sinaloa province. The quote is from the writer, Humberto Padgett, winner of the Ortage and Gasset 2012 prize for the book "The Lost Boys" which was based on interviews with young prisoners. "When I was asking them what they wanted to be, they said “El Chapo” Guzmán, the boss of the Sinaloa cartel, the one who kills most, who f---- most, the worst b------, and they were asking me if it was worth the effort of studying to end up selling tacos in the street, like their older brothers."
See Spanish Original.
The aspirations of young Mexicans are very different, and equally real, like the slogan of a student protest in Mexico City- "Be informed, vote, and turn off the stupid television"- and painted on a wall in a provincial town: "I would prefer to die young and rich than old and broken like my father."
The first phrase is a slogan of the "I am #132" movement, the first far-reaching political youth movement of the century, the modern, urban and technological face of the new generation. A critical wave that began in the social networks in May, the movement took to the streets of the capital with a tide of young people that denounced the supposed alliance between the big communication networks and the PRI candidate, Enrique Peña Nieto, front runner for the elections on July 1st.
The movement threw the PRI campaign into confusion and damaged the PRI’s voting expectations, however, not bringing it down from its first place in the polls, and had such an influence that three of the four candidates- with the exception of Peña Nieto- participated in a student-organized debate.
The other phrase is on a wall in Culiacán, capital of Sinaloa province. The quote is from the writer, Humberto Padgett, winner of the Ortage and Gasset 2012 prize for the book "The Lost Boys" which was based on interviews with young prisoners. "When I was asking them what they wanted to be, they said “El Chapo” Guzmán, the boss of the Sinaloa cartel, the one who kills most, who f---- most, the worst b------, and they were asking me if it was worth the effort of studying to end up selling tacos in the street, like their older brothers."
Mexico's elections peaceful so far
Mexico's presidential elections have so far shown no signs of violence or major disturbances. It's raining here in Mexico City but many people were at the polls early in what appears to be a good turnout. Problems have been reported with voting at special polls (where voters who are out of their home districts can vote) in a repetition of glitches with those polls in past elections.
We sent out the following announcement a few hours ago. It has some interesting live links. I will be commenting on Telemundo tonight at eight, from the Zocalo. California residents can watch the program and we'll get a link to the rest of you. Preliminary results should be out around then.
Warning signs:
* Media have reported extensively on vote- buying, coercion and fraud.
We sent out the following announcement a few hours ago. It has some interesting live links. I will be commenting on Telemundo tonight at eight, from the Zocalo. California residents can watch the program and we'll get a link to the rest of you. Preliminary results should be out around then.
SPECIAL MEXICO ELECTIONS COVERAGE from the CIP Americas Program
Today
more than 79 million Mexicans are voting for a new president. The
Americas Program is here, writing for you on the process before, during
and after citizens cast their votes. Our
team is reporting in from Mexico City and various states to keep you
up-to-the minute on events and what it means for the future of the
country.
While armchair analysts in Washington and Mexico City expound on the return of the PRI and the evolution of the electoral system, we've been on-the-ground, looking at the deeper story and what it means for Mexico's fledgling democracy.
Americas Program director, Laura Carlsen, has analyzed the past five Mexican presidential elections for the program and international media. Here is what we´re seeing:
While armchair analysts in Washington and Mexico City expound on the return of the PRI and the evolution of the electoral system, we've been on-the-ground, looking at the deeper story and what it means for Mexico's fledgling democracy.
Americas Program director, Laura Carlsen, has analyzed the past five Mexican presidential elections for the program and international media. Here is what we´re seeing:
The good news:
* There has been very little violence so far.
Today's voting is proceeding peacefully. A morning drive showed
polling places where long lines of voters waited patiently to deposit
their votes. We have not seen the assassination of candidates that we
saw in the mid-term elections. However, it isn't quite a clean slate
either. Local newspapers report the assassination of a PRD electoral representative in Guanajuato and minor skirmishes in other parts of the country.
* More than three million citizens are registered as poll watchers. This
includes those registered by the Electoral Inistitute (IFE) and by the
parties. This is an important guard against the type of anomolies
reported in 2006.
* Young people are participating and claiming the process. The "I am 132" movement
has mobilized youth to get involved and defend the vote. This movement
has a non-partisan, but anti-Peña Nieto orientation and has mobilized
thousands of students.
Warning signs:
* Documentation has emerged on the sale of favorable coverage of the PRI candidate. Youth
especially have challenged the role of the huge media conglomerates as a
factor that creates an uneven playing field for candidates.
* Media have reported extensively on vote- buying, coercion and fraud.
*
The many legal reforms in the electoral system are incomplete and are
not being applied to the letter. Evidence exists that the PRI has
exceeded campaign spending limits and the above illegal practices continue in many parts of the country.
CONTACT:
Laura Carlsen, Director Americas Program. e-mail: info@cipamericas.org
Tel: (521) 553-551-9993
FOR MORE INFORMATION FROM THE AMERICAS PROGRAM:
Web page: www.cipamericas.org
Twitter: @cipamericas
Facebook: CIP Americas Program
In Texas, Caution, Optimism Greet Mexican Election
Texas Tribune: With a mix of trepidation and optimism, Texas lawmakers are closely watching Mexico’s election on Sunday. The expected outcome would return the Institutional Revolutionary Party to power.
Polls show that Enrique Peña Nieto, a P.R.I. member and former governor of the state of Mexico, is in line to become the country’s next president. That would swing power back to the center-left party after 12 years of rule by the more moderate National Action Party, whose legacy has been stained by six years of grueling war against drug traffickers.
But Texas lawmakers are concerned that the PRI would revive its tainted past, which included reports of corruption and deal-making with criminal elements. Read more.
Polls show that Enrique Peña Nieto, a P.R.I. member and former governor of the state of Mexico, is in line to become the country’s next president. That would swing power back to the center-left party after 12 years of rule by the more moderate National Action Party, whose legacy has been stained by six years of grueling war against drug traffickers.
But Texas lawmakers are concerned that the PRI would revive its tainted past, which included reports of corruption and deal-making with criminal elements. Read more.
Will dirty tricks have role in Mexico's presidential election?
latimes.com: A drug war is raging, a party once known for brazen vote-rigging has a telegenic front-runner, and all parties now offer voters perks — but election officials say they are 'armored against fraud.'
MEXICO CITY — Sunday's presidential election represents a difficult test for Mexico's wobbly democracy: Can it hold a fraud-free national vote in the midst of a raging drug war?
The country's top election official conceded recently that violence in parts of the country prevented election officials from completing some preparations.
But the official, Leonardo Valdes, insisted that safeguards are firmly in place to prevent the kind of brazen electoral fraud once notorious in Mexico. And, he said, most of the strong-arming, threats and payoffs by drug traffickers remain limited to local politics and less influential in the national race. Read more.
MEXICO CITY — Sunday's presidential election represents a difficult test for Mexico's wobbly democracy: Can it hold a fraud-free national vote in the midst of a raging drug war?
The country's top election official conceded recently that violence in parts of the country prevented election officials from completing some preparations.
But the official, Leonardo Valdes, insisted that safeguards are firmly in place to prevent the kind of brazen electoral fraud once notorious in Mexico. And, he said, most of the strong-arming, threats and payoffs by drug traffickers remain limited to local politics and less influential in the national race. Read more.
As Mexico goes to the polls, voters express disappointment with ruling party
Washington Post: Mexico City — In meetings, President Felipe Calderon has been telling guests that he and his family are likely to leave Mexico to live abroad after his term expires in December. It will be too dangerous to remain, he warns in private conversation, because powerful drug mafias might come after him.
For the commander in chief of Mexico’s U.S.-backed drug war to suggest he has not provided enough security to live in his country is a stunning revelation — and may be seen as either an admission of failure or evidence of just how hard he has fought and how far Mexico needs to go.
As Mexicans go to the polls Sunday to vote for his successor, Calderon finds his legacy battered, his ruling party unpopular and its standard bearer, the energetic former education secretary Josefina Vazquez Mota, trailing in third place in the preelection surveys. Read more.
For the commander in chief of Mexico’s U.S.-backed drug war to suggest he has not provided enough security to live in his country is a stunning revelation — and may be seen as either an admission of failure or evidence of just how hard he has fought and how far Mexico needs to go.
As Mexicans go to the polls Sunday to vote for his successor, Calderon finds his legacy battered, his ruling party unpopular and its standard bearer, the energetic former education secretary Josefina Vazquez Mota, trailing in third place in the preelection surveys. Read more.
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