Mexico's Conservative Near Win as Court Backs Vote (Tribunal rules on recount numbers)

Reuters ^ | August 28, 2006 | Chris Aspin and Kieran Murray

[StJacques]

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - Mexico's top electoral court threw out leftists' allegations of massive fraud in last month's presidential election on Monday, handing almost certain victory to conservative candidate Felipe Calderon.

The seven judges voted unanimously to reject most of the legal complaints by left-wing candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who said he was robbed of victory in the July 2 vote.

His supporters have paralyzed Mexico City with protests this month and he has vowed to make Mexico ungovernable if the court declares Calderon the winner of the country's most bitterly contested election in modern history.

The initial result showed Calderon, a former energy minister from the ruling National Action Party, won the election by just 0.58 of a percentage point or 244,000 votes.

The judges fell short of formally naming Calderon the winner but they said there were only marginal changes to the original results after recounts and annulments at some of the most fiercely contested polling stations.

"Based on the annulments that were deemed necessary, all the parties lost a considerable amount of votes but that did not affect the results," judge Jose Luna said.

The judges, whose rulings are final and can not be appealed, must declare a president-elect by September 6. . . .

 

[StJacques]

I'm going to copy what I posted in another thread right into the comments section here:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
And the numbers are:

Felipe Calderon - 81,080 votes annulled
Lopez Obrador - 76,897 votes annulled

This means that AMLO gained 4,183 votes as a result of all electoral challenges resolved, shaving Calderon's 244,000 vote lead to approximately 240,000. I cite this from memory because the article says that "by agreement with the official numbers" there is a difference of 243,934 votes, but I think that is the "before the adjustment" figure. Either way, it doesn't matter. The counting is over and Calderon is in first place.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

And Lopez Obrador and the PRD are screaming.

[StJacques]

A Mex-Elex ping for you all.

[GulfBreeze]

They better be careful. If it breaks into civil unrest, we may have to annex them!

(They could be the southern counties of Texas. he he he

[tet68]

And Lopez Obrador and the PRD are screaming.

Hopefully, soon they will KNOW what it feels like to be a
loser.

An attempt by the PRD to throw the government into chaos,
should be given the treatment a failed revolution deserves.

It's what we SHOULD have done to some democrats, not long ago.

[aft_lizard]

I dont want them, too expensive to fix.

[Otho]

Why didn't we pick up Baja California long ago when the boundaries were being drawn?

[ClaireSolt]

Sounds like Soros.

[kinoxi]

Mexico's Conservative Near Win

Al-reuters does it again. He already won, the powers that be at Reuters can't accept it.

[SAJ]

Thanks again, Saint. Peso futures are effectively telling ObraGore to dry up and blow away. The mkt participants think he's the next thing to irrelevant now, evidently.

Certainly hope they're correct!

[WOSG]

"Mexico's top electoral court threw out leftists' allegations of massive fraud in last month's presidential election on Monday, handing almost certain victory to conservative candidate Felipe Calderon."

I dislike very much the media slant that the court "handing almost certain victory" - same nonsense as the myth that a court made Bush President. Wrong. The court is certifying that THE VOTERS ELECTED CALDERON IN THE VOTE.

This has gone on long enough. Obrador-Loserman and his flying circus of protesters needs to fold up its tents and go home.

[colorado tanker]

So, the court decided to defend democratic elections and resist AMLO's thuggish threats.

I suppose the issue now is will AMLO try to force his way into power?.

[kesg]

And Lopez Obrador and the PRD are screaming.

Life is good.

[StJacques]

"This has gone on long enough. Obrador-Loserman and his flying circus of protesters needs to fold up its tents and go home."

I certainly agree that it has gone on long enough. What I expect to see over the next couple of weeks is a final rant or two from Lopez Obrador and his people, and especially surrounding Fox's Sept. 1 national address, which is similar to the "State of the Union" in this country, and then they will be forced by the Mexican federal government to pack up their tents and return the city to its people.

AMLO is going to try to "co-opt" the crowd for the Mexican Independence Day celebration on Sept. 16 with his so-called "National Democratic Convention," but I am in little doubt that the Mexican federal government is not going to let him get away with that.

[BallyBill]

Mexico can now get ready for non stop crying and whining from every left wing idiot. Been 6 years here in the U.S. and some would rather destroy their own country than admit they lost.

[wildwood]

liberals sure are poor losers.

[Reaganez]

"They better be careful. If it breaks into civil unrest, we may have to annex them!

(They could be the southern counties of Texas. he he he"


No,you just take the Northern Pan half.

You make it a federal territory for about 10 years THEN allow the richest states into the Union.

More like Texas as a whole not "southern counties."

Except for the death penalty.

That brings us to a philosophical question: would Texas still be Texas without the Death Penalty? LOL.

[GulfBreeze]

I meant they could BECOME the southern countis of Texas.

[A CA Guy]

I heard the little commie was talking about starting another government within, like his own Hezbollah...

[Mad_Tom_Rackham]

Why didn't we pick up Baja California long ago when the boundaries were being drawn?

I think we were going to offer Mexico $10M in the late 1800's, but the US Congress refused to authorize the purchase.

[StJacques]

There was a fundamental change in the attitudes of the United States towards Mexico as it related to the acquisition of new territory during the American Civil War when we supported Mexican nationalist Benito Juarez against the usurpation of Mexican sovereignty by the French, who imposed the Hapsburg "Emperor" Maximillian on Mexico in 1862. We greatly feared the possibility that a Mexico controlled by France would funnel arms and economic aid to the Confederacy, which French Emperor Napoleon III (who hated us) had said quite openly was his intention. As a result, in order to prop up Benito Juarez's cause, we very publicly declared that the United States would never again seek the acquisition of territory from Mexico, a policy that became binding upon Abraham Lincoln and every President who followed him afterwards. And the public attitude was one we pursued in private as well. There is a famous diplomatic note in the Foreign Relations Papers of the U.S. in which Secretary of State William Seward wrote the American minister to Juarez, who I think may have been the ex-Union General William S. Rosecrans, in which he instructed the American minister to "emphasize dollars and not dominion" in his talks with the Juaristas, by which he meant that American interests were no longer served by expansion at Mexico's expense and instead should rely on trade with the country.

So if there was any discussion of the acquisition of Baja California after about 1863 it occurred entirely outside the bounds of the official foreign policy of the country. There was the matter of settling the ownership of some small islands in the Pacific near San Clemente Island, and I forget exactly when that was taken care of, but that was about it.

[Prost1]

We need to send the 4th ID into Mexico to ensure a peaceful transfer of power!

[Shuttle Shucker]

Why did Napoleon III hate us? Perhaps he merely wanted to rally the French taxpayers behind his expansionist endeavors, and we became the common enemy which was useful for doing that? I mean it's not like we'd made that much of a skirmish in Europe since becoming a nation, other than our inspiring Europeans to topple less democratic governments (like what happened in France in 1789). One would think he'd have liked us for weakening England though. Or maybe our post-revolutionary alliances with them annoyed the French. ???

Back on the subject though, I sure hope you're right about how the PRDsters will not continue having the "right" to attempt to drum up insurgencies. Unions will nevertheless do it whenever PeMex or CFE etc. are potentially reformed though.

[Reverend Bob]

That would be a PRD dream-come-true. This is a matter for the Mexican Army and the Mexican National Police. From the looks of things Fox, Calderon, PAN and, (gasp!) the PRI, seem to have things well in hand. AMLO has burned his bridges. Much more of this and the PRD goes down in flames too. :-)

Life is good!

[StJacques]

You guys are just not going to believe what AMLO said this evening in his "informative assembly."

This is up at:

http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/371569.html

Take a particularly close look at his "proposal" at the bottom, numbers 3 and 6.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

AMLO proposes not to recognize the judgement of the tribunal

The presidential aspirant calls [on his followers] not to recognize Felipe Calderon as President of the Republic nor the officials he appoints [as legitimate].

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador asked his followers to analyze, and in this case to approve next September 16, in the National Democratic Convention the rejection of the official count made known by the Electoral Tribunal of the Judicial Power of the Federation (TEPJF).

In his "Informative Assembly" celebrated in the Zocalo capital square in Mexico City, he also proposed to his followers that they analyze whether they will reject this usurpation and not recognize Felipe Calderon de Hinojosa as President of the Republic, as well as the officials he appoints and the acts of his government.

[Lopez Obrador] proposed that the National Democratic Convention decide for themselves if they will settle in and take possession of the organs of government and those it represents -- a proposal offered as legitimate President or coordinator of civil resistance - the 20th of November or December 1.

Even though Lopez Obrador made the request that they analyze his proposals, people shouted their endorsement in advance.

The presidential aspirant of the For the Good of All coalition maintained that the resolutions taken by the tribunal constitute a "political, not a judicial decision."

He maintained that the magistrates of the Electoral Tribunal acted submissively before "extremists of the right and it represents not only a historical shame for the country but also a veritable coup d'état."

Lopez Obrador said that "today the Tribunal decided to validate fraude contrary to the will of the citizens expressed at the ballot boxes the 2nd of July and it endorsed the delinquents who robbed us of our presidential election."

The PRD leader asserted that with this decision of the tribunal constitutional order is broken and by these acts "they open the road to a usurper who pretends to occupy the Presidency of the Republic by means of a coup d'état."

He accused the seven magistrates "of the supposed Tribunal" of adopting a complicit attitude.

He insisted that "President Vicente Fox organized and executed a state operation to prevent Lopez Obrador from coming to the presidency at all costs."

Tonight, as has become customary, Lopez Obrador's followers sent out insults against the reporters.

AMLO's Proposal:

1. To refuse to recognize the official count made known by the Tribunal "which is trying to legalize fraud."

2. To reject the usurpation and to refuse to recognize Felipe Calderon as President, as well as the officials he appoints.

3. That the Convention resolves whether it constitutes a government of the Republic or a coordinator of civil resistance.

4. To apply a basic program with five objectives: to protect millions of poor Mexicans; not to permit the privatization of the petroleum or the electrical industries; to make the public right to information real; and to struggle so that the institutions [of the country] become the object of a profound renovation.

5. That the Convention decides if it is the organ which approves taking possession [of the government] the 20th of November or the 1st of December.

6. That agreements must be assumed in a voluntary manner, by free citizens of all social conditions.

7. The new government will not request corporate support nor [will it demand?] conditions of anyone.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As kesg put it earlier today in response to my statement that the PRD are quite angry:

Life is good

[A CA Guy]

So he lost the race but still demands to be President and suggests bogus ways to anoint himself.

Like I said, the government of Mexico needs to squash the movement and maybe even send the army in to break these trouble makers up.

If there is violent resistance to a free election and they won't stop, arrest them, remove them and if necessary use force.

[StJacques]

I think they are about two weeks away from implementing your recommendations A CA Guy. Once the Sept. 1 national address Fox has to give is done and the tribunal declares the election valid and names Calderon the official President-elect, then they'll tell AMLO and company to pack up and move out of the center of Mexico City and, when they don't (notice I did not say if) they'll have to remove them forcefully. But their numbers have dwindled and the people of Mexico City are fed up with them so I don't expect much of an outcry.

[A CA Guy]

Gotcha, so they have to make the last official move then they will start to crack down on the BS.

At that time we will see if the little Commie will still press on knowing he'd be getting his butt kicked to the curb.

Easy to be brave when you know they aren't going to reply, but when he knows they will I want to see how big his mouth will be.

PS: They know where many cartel mansions and other estates are. When and why don't they just blow those darn things up?

[kittycatonline.com]

...who said he was robbed of victory in the July 2 vote.

"We did just like the gringos told us to do, we voted early and voted often! It took us hours to drive all over back roads to vote what, ten, twenty times by the end of the day. And when I think of all the payouts! It nearly broke us. We want our money back! We were robbed of the victory!"

[Texan5]

I'm so glad Obragore didn't succeed in stealing an election-he is obviously unbalanced and should be committed to a psychiatric facility for 60 to 90 days. I do hope he will be yesterday's news before he can make any more grandstand plays.

[StJacques]

""We did just like the gringos told us to do, we voted early and voted often! It took us hours to drive all over back roads to vote what, ten, twenty times by the end of the day. And when I think of all the payouts! It nearly broke us. We want our money back! We were robbed of the victory!""

LOL kittykat! I think the Electoral Tribunal agrees with you. They only annulled the 80,000 votes from Calderon's total after doing a complete hand recount of over 11,000 precincts. They annulled 76,000+ votes of AMLO's just by looking at the official precinct reports (the Actas). God knows what they would have taken away if they had done a complete hand recount of other precincts the PAN challenged.

[StJacques]

"I'm so glad Obragore didn't succeed in stealing an election-he is obviously unbalanced and should be committed to a psychiatric facility for 60 to 90 days."

Texan5, your post brings me back to a cartoon I saw on the Mexican web site for El Universal last week. It's Lopez Obrador giving himself a psychiatric examination. Of course, he likes what he sees.

Auto-Psychoanalysis

[Shuttle Shucker]

The Organization of American States (OAS) doesn't seem to like what IT seems of AMLO though:

http://www.eluniversal.com.mx/notas/371719.html

Another devastating blow to ObraGore's chances...

[StJacques]

I loved this statement, the 2nd to last paragraph of that article:

[Secretary General of the OAS José Miguel Insulza] made clear that it would be extremely serious if the institutional structures created to regulate electoral competition were broken."

So much for the OAS's take on AMLO's call for "profound change" in Mexican institutions. This is the equivalent of telling AMLO "we see your strategy as one of destroying Mexico's institutions so that you can save them." And they're not buying it.

[Shuttle Shucker]

AMLO will likely just claim it's all part of the Washington (and global?) conspiracy against him and the poor people of Mexico and the world. However, the OAS is not altogether without influence in (and representation of) Latin America... ObraGore will not be president of Mexico, and at this point I don't know if he's ever got a chance of rebounding unless it's to be governor of his home state of Tabasco (which he failed to become in 1994). However, others in the PRD will have an easier time of marginalizing him now so that THEY can realize THEIR dreams. I loved that El Universal cartoon that you shared with us, by the way.