Nine out of ten Mexicans voted in favor of the permanence of President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in a referendum held this Sunday (10). The result demonstrates its dominance of the political agenda in the country, according to experts.
Critics and supporters alike saw his victory as a foregone conclusion in a vote that fueled speculation it could open the door to extending Mexico’s presidential term limits, now limited to a single six-year term.
Between 90.3% and 91.9% of voters supported López Obrador, an estimate by the National Electoral Institute (INE) showed on Sunday night.
Unleashing a series of barbs against opponents, López Obrador hailed the referendum result as “historic”. “We don’t have a king in Mexico,” he said in a video speech. “It’s a democracy, and the people are in charge.”
A combative leftist, López Obrador was the architect of the first so-called “repeal referendum” in Mexico, calling the vote vital to confirming his democratic mandate.
The population’s participation in the election was between 17% and 18.2%, said the INE, well below the 40% threshold to be decisive, and lower than some previous surveys.
Opposition leaders actively discouraged supporters from voting, with many condemning the referendum as a propaganda exercise and a distraction from real problems.
Political analysts said Lopez Obrador would use the result as a personal triumph in his bid to bring about a constitutional change to the electricity market in Congress next week, although he appears to have few votes.
Lopez Obrador denies wanting to extend his term, but has used the referendum to attract supporters and test his strength ahead of the June gubernatorial elections.
Since taking office in December 2018, López Obrador has fallen short of campaign promises to reduce violent crime and boost the economy, upsetting investors as he tries to renegotiate contracts and tighten state control of natural resources.
But his successful deployment of welfare programs and the relentless daily depiction of a political narrative in which he stars as a morally upright defender of the poor against a corrupt, wealthy elite helped bolster his popularity.
Source: CNN Brasil
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