Leftist Candidate for President of Mexico Calling for Massive Aid from the U.S.
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the former mayor of Mexico City and until recently the odds-on favorite to win Mexicos July 2 presidential election, promises to cut government spending while launching new welfare and public works programs to aid the poor.
Lopez Obrador (popularly known as AMLO, an appellation he has adopted on his own website) is a radical leftist whom many observers believe would lead Mexico into political alignment with Cubas Fidel Castro, Venezuelas Hugo Chavez, Brazils Lula da Silva, and other Marxists who have taken power throughout Latin America. Rep. Jim Kolbe (R-Ariz.) has reportedly has seen intelligence reports confirming that AMLO has received funding from Hugo Chavez. With Mexico and Venezuela providing over one-third of U.S. oil imports, a Chavez-AMLO oil axis would not be a calming prospect for American energy users.
AMLO has struck a more moderate image in the past few months, especially since Felipe Calderon, the candidate of President Vicente Foxs party, PAN, began hitting on his Marxist bent. But he is an extremist. The Peoples Weekly World, official newspaper of the Communist Party USA, for instance, regularly writes glowingly of AMLO as the best hope for Mexico. And it notes that, The PRD was formed in 1989 by left-wing elements of the PRI, the Communist Party of Mexico, and other left and progressive groups.
More: thenewamerican.com
Perry causes a stir calling Calderon Mexicos president-elect
AUSTIN Texas Governor Rick Perry made a stir at the Border Governors Conference today, calling Felipe Calderon the president-elect of Mexico and saying he had spoke with him earlier.
The conservative candidate holds a narrow lead in Mexicos still-disputed presidential race. Official tallies of the July second elections show him ahead by less than 1 percent. His opponent, leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has claimed fraud and rallied street protests in the capital.
The election is now in the hands of the Federal Electoral Tribunal, which has until September 6th to declare a president-elect
"Indestructible" leftist challenges Mexico's big two
The leftist candidate leading Mexico's presidential race on Sunday brushed off growing criticism that he is a populist ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, saying he was "politically indestructible."
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who leads opinion polls by up to 9 percentage points, responded to his rivals' criticism as his party took on the ruling establishment in a local election in the country's most populous state.
President Vicente's Fox's conservative party accused Lopez Obrador on Friday of illegally receiving aid from U.S. foe Chavez. The leftist's party strongly denies that.
Former Mexican President Carlos Salinas warned against populism,
Thousands pack Mexico City plaza as ex-mayor accepts leftist coalition's presidential nomination
Tens of thousands filled the Mexican capital's massive main plaza Saturday as a fiery former mayor considered the 2006 presidential race's front-runner formally accepted the nomination of a coalition of leftist parties.
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who stepped down as Mexico City mayor to run for president with the Democratic Revolution Party, faced a sea of supporters chanting "Obrador! Obrador!" and wearing hats and waving flags featuring his party's yellow-and-black colors.
But perhaps the best-known face of the Mexican left -- Democratic Revolution founder and perennial presidential candidate Cuauhtemoc
Calderon leads Mexico presidential race
Mexicos ruling party candidate held onto his narrow lead in the disputed presidential election after a partial recount of votes, the top electoral court said Monday in a strong indication that conservative Felipe Calderon will be declared the winner.
But the judges held off on naming the president-elect and still have the option to annul the election.
Calderons leftist challenger Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador reacted to the courts announcement in outrage, calling on supporters never to accept Calderon as president and asking them to decide if he should form a parallel government or carry on a nationwide campaign
Mexico's leftist candidate courts private sector
The leftist candidate in Mexico's July presidential election, widely popular among the country's poor, is stepping up efforts to dispel fears among a skeptical private sector, according to a campaign official.
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, candidate for the Party of the Democratic Revolution, understands the importance of private investment and would manage the economy responsibly, Jesus Ortega, head of Lopez Obrador's campaign, told Reuters in an interview late on Friday.
"We're already going to businessmen specifically to reverse the lies, slanders and fear," Ortega said.
Lopez Obrador has promised to maintain fiscal discipline and ensure the central bank
Venezuelas Chavez says normal relations with Mexico impossible
CARACAS, Venezuela President Hugo Chavez said Sunday it was impossible for Venezuela to maintain normal diplomatic relations with Mexico because president-elect Felipe Calderon led a smear campaign against Venezuela.
The Venezuelan leader also called Calderons election victory doubtful, suggesting the candidate belonging to Mexicos ruling National Action Party defeated leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador by resorting to fraud.
How is the Mexican president going to hope that we have good personal (and) political relations? Its impossible, said Chavez, speaking during a television interview.
More : iht.com
Coup D Etat in Mexico
A COUP DETAT IS BREWING in Mexico. Even as he runs out of legal ways to challenge the July 2 presidential election results, the contests sore loser, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, is planning to proclaim himself president and establish a parallel peoples government on the national Day of Independence, Sept. 16.
The defiance by the leftist former mayor of Mexico City comes after a unanimous ruling Monday by the nations top electoral tribunal, which rejected claims filed by Lopez Obradors party of massive fraud. Lopez Obrador, who finished second in the balloting, has been waging an increasingly
Masked rebel leader has a new cause in Mexico Vows to oppose leftist presidential candidate
The pipe-smoking, ski-mask wearing Zapatista rebel leader Subcommander Marcos once again is firing his rhetorical cannon shots from his hideout in the jungle.
Through a flurry of tongue-in-cheek e-mails and letters, the man who spearheaded an indigenous rebellion in Chiapas in 1994 has challenged an Italian soccer team to a match with his hooded guerrillas, co-written a detective novel for a Mexico City newspaper and joked about his growing, un-guerrillalike belly.
But then Marcos aimed a broadside at a more serious target when he attacked former Mexico
Former Mexico City police chief named mayoral candidate
Mexico's leftist Democratic Revolution Party has nominated a controversial former Mexico City police chief as its candidate for mayor.
The party selected Marcelo Ebrard over Jesus Ortega, a former Mexican senator, in internal elections held yesterday.Ebrard was dismissed last year as Mexico City police chief after his officers took hours to respond to a mob attack that left two federal agents dead.Ebrard blamed the delay on traffic and insufficient forces.He later was appointed the city's social development secretary.
He resigned earlier this year to launch his mayoral candidacy.Ebrard in 2000 backed the successful campaign
Mexico: Lopez Obrador Will Not Accept Election Ruling Favoring Calderón
Mexicos top electoral court has thrown out allegations of massive fraud in last months presidential election, handing almost certain victory to conservative Felipe Calderón.
Leftist challenger Andrés Manuel López Obrador says the judges unanimous rejection of his complaints is offensive and unacceptable for millions of Mexicans. He vowed not to recognize a government led by Calderón and the ruling National Action Party.
The seven-judge Federal Electoral Tribunal reported it examined 375 challenges to the July 2 election, and discarded about one-half of one percent of the 41 million ballots, due to irregularities. The
