The Mexican elections of 2012, like those of 2006, have been marred by violations including the buying of media coverage by the alleged victors the PRI, and the mass buying of voters with pre-paid gift cards. The leftist PRD opponent Andres Manuael Lopez Obrador (AMLO) has demanded a full recount. For months polls in the mainstream media, which has been revealed to have received millions in funding from the PRI, gave new president elect Enrique Pena Nieto 20 point leads over his main opponent. Yet on the night the victory was much narrower, at 7%. The initial vote count gave Pena Nieto 38.15% and Lopez Obrador 31.64% of the vote. This is highly suspicious. Mexicans have been had - yet again. But, we can see, that the US and other western governments have rushed to congratulate Pena Nieto. This result was written before the election took place - it is the result that the US and Mexican elite wanted. In 2006 AMLO was much criticised for protesting electoral fraud for months after the result, bringing hundreds of thousands onto the street. The view seems to be that acquiescing in fraud is preferable to 'instability'. I wonder how that scenario would run if it was implemented in Europe or the US - of course, it was carried out in the US in 2000. I feel sad and angry for Mexicans, as yet again their 'democracy' has been bought.
For more on the story from the Associated Press
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