I love this column.
Imagine the global outcry if Mexico chose its president indirectly through some sort of electoral college that gave advantage to smaller states over bigger ones and permitted the loser of the popular vote to become president. The world would be merciless in deriding Mexico as a backward place living under undemocratic laws written in the early 19th century. Mexicans can be proud that this won't happen.
But there are potential problems. Lopez Obrador has had questions about the results in the state of Tabasco. Mr. Calderon and Mr. Lopez Obrador, please, please make sure that you don't have some close relative in charge of things down there.
How would it look if the governor of the state was your own brother? What would people think if the top official in charge of elections was your sibling's partisan ally who made every key decision in your favor?
The American media would go nuts. On Fox, Bill O'Reilly would condemn the sleaze and nepotism while declaring, confidently, "Thank God such a thing could never happen in the United States of America!"
Of course, there's more.
Posted by armand at July 7, 2006 12:31 PM | TrackBack | Posted to PoliticsThese kinds of comments are really funny, and amazing. For so long, the PRI practiced so much electoral manipulation, the surprise would have been that an election wasn't corrupt. That Mexico has come so far so quickly is amazing. Much the like the Collor impeachment crisis in Brazil, the uncertain electoral situation in Mexico is a good thing. That is, a sign that democracy is happening. In the old days, there would have been no recourse. Hell, there was no other party that had a chance at all.
Posted by: binky at July 7, 2006 01:24 PM | PERMALINK