Teaching Comparative

Mexican Election Analysis

Mexidata.info is apparently sponsored by Mexican Information and Research Associates, which describes itself as emphasizing "business and government services; negotiations with federal, state and local government agencies and officials, plus the private sector; lobbying and facilitation with government officials, regulatory agencies and elected representatives; problem resolution; socioeconomic and political research and analysis; country and political risk analysis; actionable intelligence; U.S.A. services for Latin American clients."

Its web site publishes opinion pieces written by four businessmen, three of whom appear to originally be from the U.S. and Canada. Nonetheless, the columns I've read seem well-informed and thoughtful. In other words, they might be good teaching tools. Today, there are two worth looking at and "clipping" to save for the day when you're teaching about these topics.

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As everyone waits to hear the decision of Mexico's electoral court later today, Carlos Lukens' column, Picking up the pieces after Mexico's election, describes how everyone lost something in the presidential election and advocates further reforms to move Mexico closer to democratic government.

Allan Walls' column, Deadline Approaches for Mexico’s Electoral Court, does a good job of describing the Federal Electoral Tribunal, how it was created, and how it got into the position of final arbiter. It would be a good supplement to a textbook's paragraph on the court.



Picking up the pieces after Mexico’s election
 
"After nearly two months of drifting in a political whirlpool, Mexico’s political system has gone from the sublime joy of establishing a democracy to the possibility of facing a revolt.
 
"Actually the current and escalating post-electoral crisis should have been expected, the consequence of a bitter and pungent presidential campaign during which all political parties made a shameful spectacle of themselves – and Mexico’s democratic system ended up disgraced in the eyes of the electorate.
 
"But in picking up the pieces of this social tragedy, Mexicans should ask what happened? And most importantly, was anything learned?
 
"What happened was that pre-election ambitions ran unrestrained as principles and ideologies were cast aside in a frenzied power quest. Political etiquette and decorum gave way to frantic melees among party companions. As usual in battle, truth was the first casualty, and condemnation and censure were its executioners.
 
"Sadly, in Mexico’s heartbreaking battle for democracy no one left the field uninjured...

"The Mexican electorate had a very bad initiation to the democratic process. They were exposed to internal party feuds and character abuse during the primaries, and made to bear the brunt of a bitter and negative presidential campaign in which no candidate’s standing remained firm. And now they are being held hostage by an irresponsible situation in which a losing candidate is being allowed to question all electoral processes and government institutions, and to openly promote subversion unconstrained by any authority.
 
"Considering historical political opportunism and expediency, Mexican politicians must face the fact that their images have been severely stained. Many government inadequacies were made public. Political corruption has been further revealed and even overexposed.  And all political party images were ruined.
 
"As a result, Mexico now must pick up the pieces of its Humpty Dumpty political system. But as the story goes, it can’t be put back together again. Mexico must initiate a comprehensive political renewal program involving and based on citizens and institutions that look toward their nation’s future and well-being, instead of inflexibly grasping at obsolete party structures."

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Deadline Approaches for Mexico’s Electoral Court
 
"If there’s a contested election who has the final say?  In the 2000 United States election the U.S. Supreme Court had the final word.  Needless to say, everybody wasn’t happy about it.

"But somebody has to have the final say.
 
"It’s now 2006 and Mexico has a hotly contested election.

"The first question is, 'Was the election legitimate?'  If the answer to that question is 'yes,' then the next question is, 'Who is the winner?'  Is the winner Felipe Calderon of the PAN (National Action Party) or Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, AMLO, of the PRD (Party of the Democratic Revolution)?

"Mexico’s electoral tribunal has the final say, and the day it must rule on the election is rapidly approaching..."

posted by Ken Wedding @ 8:31 AM