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July 07, 2003

Mexico Turns Left

Following other Latin American countries in South America, Mexico SignOnSanDiego.com > took a turn to the left in Congressional elections. The conservative National Action Party (PAN) lost 44 seats (down to 158). The old Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) made a small recovery and gained 20 seats (up to 227), but the big story of the day was a gain of 44 seats by the leftist Democratic Revolution Party (PRD)- up to 100 seats.

And the PRD has a candidate lined up to take on the Presidency in 2006:

The PRD's triumph will give the party significantly more clout in Congress. It will also raise the PRD's profile as it prepares for the 2006 presidential election and as Mexicans search for a political alternative to the PAN and the PRI.

Already, the buzz is that Mexico City Mayor Andres Manuel López Obrador, a populist from the PRD, could win the presidency. He recently oversaw the completion of a double-decker overpass aimed at relieving Mexico City's legendary traffic snarls.

"López Obrador is perceived as a doer. He has done what he said he was going to do," said political analyst Primitivo Rodríguez. "The person who comes out as a doer in the next election is going to win."

Posted by Nathan at July 7, 2003 10:20 AM