Felipe Calderon wins Mexican Presidency.

spa ced · 07-06-2006, 09:27 PM

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/...8IMQ2L00.shtml

Calderon Wins Mexican Presidential Race
Ruling party's Felipe Calderon wins official count in Mexico's disputed presidential race

MEXICO CITY, Jul. 6, 2006
By WILL WEISSERT Associated Press Writer
(AP)

(AP) The ruling party's Felipe Calderon won the official count in Mexico's disputed presidential race Thursday, a come-from-behind victory for the stiff technocrat. But his leftist rival refused to concede and said he'd fight the results in court.

Calderon, a conservative who preached free-market values and financial stability during the campaign, was already reaching out to other parties to build a "unity government." His opponent, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, blamed fraud for his narrow loss in the vote count and called on his supporters to fill Mexico City's main square Saturday in a show of force.

With the 41 million votes counted, Calderon of President Vicente Fox's National Action Party had 35.89 percent to 35.31 percent for Lopez Obrador of the Democratic Revolution Party. The two were separated by 0.57 percent, or 236,006 votes.

Roberto Madrazo, whose Institutional Revolutionary Party controlled Mexico for 71 years until Fox's victory in 2000, had 22.27 percent, and two minor candidates split the rest.

Luis Carlos Ugalde, president of the Federal Electoral Institute, confimed Calderon as the winner Thursday night, several hours after the final vote count was released.

However, the official declaration of a president-elect must come from the Federal Electoral Tribunal, which has until Sept. 6 to announce. Meanwhile, any challenges will go before the tribunal court. The next president begins a single, six-year term on Dec. 1.

Mexican stocks closed 2.7 percent higher and the peso rebounded Thursday on the news of Calderon's lead. The markets closed before the count was finished.

But many obstacles remain in Calderon's path. If his victory is upheld by electoral courts, he will face a Congress dominated by opposition parties, as well as a divided nation that sends millions north to work in the United States illegally.

President Bush's decision to send National Guard troops to the border has increased tensions in Mexico, as has a U.S. congressional proposal to extend walls along the two countries' frontier.

Calderon wants to rely on Mexico's many free-trade accords to create jobs and crack down on rising crime, and says he'll try to smooth U.S. relations without letting Washington dominate.

"I want to establish a very constructive relationship without bowing my head and lowering my eyes to the Americans," Calderon said in heavily accented English during an interview with The Associated Press.

"I have met with President Bush several times. I have interviewed with President Bush and several members of the American Congress, and I know it's possible to establish a more constructive relationship, and that would be very good for both countries."

Addressing hundreds of cheering supporters before dawn Thursday, he called on Mexicans to move beyond the bitter campaign and "begin a new era of peace, of reconciliation."

He reached out to the millions of people who voted against him, asking for a "chance to win your confidence."

For months, Lopez Obrador had been the easy front-runner in the race, promising to govern for the poor and launch big public works projects. But he slipped in the polls after he refused to take part in the first of two televised debates, and never quite recovered.

"It was Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's election to lose, and he lost," said Andrew Selee, director of the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington.

On Thursday, the former Mexico City mayor said that widespread fraud _ not campaign missteps _ cost him the election, and he called on his supporters to gather Saturday for an "informational assembly."

"We are always going to act in a responsible manner, but at the same time, we have to defend the citizens' will," he said.

He denounced election officials for going forward with an official count of poll-workers' vote tallies, as required by election law, and ignoring his demand for a ballot-by-ballot review.

"We are going to the Federal Electoral Tribunal with the same demand _ that the votes be counted _ because we cannot accept these results," Lopez Obrador said.

Lopez Obrador supporters who followed the folksy leftist with near religious zeal wept in the streets at news of his loss. A busload of children from a private school jeered at three women bawling uncontrollably as they held up banners.

As Lopez Obrador emerged from his apartment, one woman rushed forward and startled him with a desperate embrace. Taken aback for an instant, the candidate reassured her and kissed her gently on the top of the head. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

spa ced · 07-06-2006, 09:36 PM

Has anyone else been following this election? Normally I would have been for the leftist Lopez Obrador but I don't believe in him. I don't really think he would do the things he says he wants to do. Plus I think need Mexico needs stability and growth right now. I don't really feel Lopez Obrador would be willing or able to actually accomplish those tasks. I really like Felipe Calderon...and it's not just because we share a last name...but because he seems like a very ingelligent and honest man.

spa ced · 07-06-2006, 09:38 PM

Here's an interview with Felipe Calderon:

Felipe Calderón
National Action Party

WEYMOUTH: What is your vision for Mexico if you are elected president?
CALDERON: I want Mexico to be a winner in a world that is competing for investment and jobs.

Q: President Fox came to office with an ambitious reform agenda but did not succeed because he was blocked by the opposition. Many say that the same would happen to you.

A: I am proposing a coalition government. I want to make agreements with other parties in the opposition in order to get a majority, and I am willing to share the program of the government and the cabinet.

Q: The tone of the campaign is nasty. López Obrador said in the debate that your brother-in-law got government contracts when you were Energy minister.

A: He claimed that I gave my brother-in-law $250 million in contracts when I was Energy minister, and he [alleged my brother-in-law] hadn't paid any taxes. That is absolutely false.

Q: So López Obrador is lying?

A: Yes. According to the law, the burden of proof is on the accuser, and they have not presented a single contract.

Q: There are videotapes showing aides of López Obrador receiving money in the past from a businessman who's now in jail.

A: Yes, it's like a thief calling someone else a thief.

Q: Do you think he's like [Venezuelan President Hugo] Chávez?

A: Let me tell you what he represents for this country. First is the denial of the rule of law; second, he will take the country to a new economic crisis because he believes the government will create jobs in Mexico. To generate economic growth, [he believes] the government has to increase spending above its capacity. All of this would result in an economic crisis similar to the crises of '76, '82, '87 and '94. In addition, he has this old ideology in which he pits the poor against the rich.

There are powerful vested interests in this country—the owners of the TV networks and other tycoons—that any Mexican president must contend with.
López Obrador takes pride in being a friend of [Mexican billionaire] Carlos Slim. But whatever the economic interests may be in Mexico, my commitment is with the Mexican people and not with the vested interests.

Q: What kind of relationship would you like Mexico to have with the U.S.?

A: It needs to be a constructive relationship so that the problems we share, including drug trafficking and immigration, will be solved by both countries. [We need] cooperation with dignity.

Q: What did you think of President Bush's speech on immigration?

A: I think it's a mistake to believe that immigration will be solved by the National Guard or a new wall. The only way to reduce immigration is to create jobs in Mexico.

Q: Do your internal polls show you in the lead?

A: I'm leading right now, but it's a very tense moment because I'm under attack.

JokeyLoki · 07-07-2006, 08:15 AM

I didn't read any of that, but he's the guy that wants to stop immigration into the United States, isn't he? If so, I'm all for him.

Irridescent Fairysex · 07-07-2006, 10:05 AM

I thought you'd be pro-Obrador like Julio. I don't like the guy either, he's demonstrating right now all the fears people had about him.

Irridescent Fairysex · 07-07-2006, 10:24 AM

You know what's funny? a lot of former key colaborators of ex-president Salinas (the one who "won" the tuly fraudelent elections of 1988) are now key colaboratos of López Obrador. Camacho and Ebrard (he won the Mexico City elections this time) are both Salinists, Camacho was designed by Salinas to "legitimize" the election of 1988, now he's working on labeling this election as fraud. You know who is one of the few businesman to support Obrador? Carlos Slim, the third's richest guy in the planet, who guess what? was the favorite businessman of ex-President Salinas.

Irridescent Fairysex · 07-07-2006, 10:25 AM

Do you speak spanish Tony?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgwOB9f4CJM

spa ced · 07-07-2006, 12:06 PM

Oh god that was hilarious...what a fucking idiot that man is. I like how he throws in "Why do TV reporters always ask that question?" at the end.

Look at this excerpt from the interview with Lopez Obrador..

Q: Why do you keep attacking the president of the Central Bank, Guillermo Ortiz?
A: Because Ortiz has been very costly to the country. He was the one who gave away the banks to those who had no experience. The banks failed, and later in 1997, Ortiz bailed out the bankers for $120 billion.

Q: Wasn't it a good thing to rescue the banks?
A: No. It cost a great deal and there was a lot of fraud. I am not going to interfere in monetary policies, but that doesn't mean I am afflicted with amnesia.

What the fuck? If you don't rescue the banks...the currently loses all faith in the nation's economies...if you need to restructure banks you do so...or you enact legislation to protect people from bad banks...but you don't let banks completely fail. That undermines the economy and people's faith in the nation. That's Money & Banking 101...
Thank god he lost the election.

07-06-2006, 09:27 PM	#1
spa ced Braindead Location: Machu Picchu Posts: 15,291	Felipe Calderon wins Mexican Presidency. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/...8IMQ2L00.shtml Calderon Wins Mexican Presidential Race Ruling party's Felipe Calderon wins official count in Mexico's disputed presidential race MEXICO CITY, Jul. 6, 2006 By WILL WEISSERT Associated Press Writer (AP) (AP) The ruling party's Felipe Calderon won the official count in Mexico's disputed presidential race Thursday, a come-from-behind victory for the stiff technocrat. But his leftist rival refused to concede and said he'd fight the results in court. Calderon, a conservative who preached free-market values and financial stability during the campaign, was already reaching out to other parties to build a "unity government." His opponent, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, blamed fraud for his narrow loss in the vote count and called on his supporters to fill Mexico City's main square Saturday in a show of force. With the 41 million votes counted, Calderon of President Vicente Fox's National Action Party had 35.89 percent to 35.31 percent for Lopez Obrador of the Democratic Revolution Party. The two were separated by 0.57 percent, or 236,006 votes. Roberto Madrazo, whose Institutional Revolutionary Party controlled Mexico for 71 years until Fox's victory in 2000, had 22.27 percent, and two minor candidates split the rest. Luis Carlos Ugalde, president of the Federal Electoral Institute, confimed Calderon as the winner Thursday night, several hours after the final vote count was released. However, the official declaration of a president-elect must come from the Federal Electoral Tribunal, which has until Sept. 6 to announce. Meanwhile, any challenges will go before the tribunal court. The next president begins a single, six-year term on Dec. 1. Mexican stocks closed 2.7 percent higher and the peso rebounded Thursday on the news of Calderon's lead. The markets closed before the count was finished. But many obstacles remain in Calderon's path. If his victory is upheld by electoral courts, he will face a Congress dominated by opposition parties, as well as a divided nation that sends millions north to work in the United States illegally. President Bush's decision to send National Guard troops to the border has increased tensions in Mexico, as has a U.S. congressional proposal to extend walls along the two countries' frontier. Calderon wants to rely on Mexico's many free-trade accords to create jobs and crack down on rising crime, and says he'll try to smooth U.S. relations without letting Washington dominate. "I want to establish a very constructive relationship without bowing my head and lowering my eyes to the Americans," Calderon said in heavily accented English during an interview with The Associated Press. "I have met with President Bush several times. I have interviewed with President Bush and several members of the American Congress, and I know it's possible to establish a more constructive relationship, and that would be very good for both countries." Addressing hundreds of cheering supporters before dawn Thursday, he called on Mexicans to move beyond the bitter campaign and "begin a new era of peace, of reconciliation." He reached out to the millions of people who voted against him, asking for a "chance to win your confidence." For months, Lopez Obrador had been the easy front-runner in the race, promising to govern for the poor and launch big public works projects. But he slipped in the polls after he refused to take part in the first of two televised debates, and never quite recovered. "It was Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's election to lose, and he lost," said Andrew Selee, director of the Mexico Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington. On Thursday, the former Mexico City mayor said that widespread fraud _ not campaign missteps _ cost him the election, and he called on his supporters to gather Saturday for an "informational assembly." "We are always going to act in a responsible manner, but at the same time, we have to defend the citizens' will," he said. He denounced election officials for going forward with an official count of poll-workers' vote tallies, as required by election law, and ignoring his demand for a ballot-by-ballot review. "We are going to the Federal Electoral Tribunal with the same demand _ that the votes be counted _ because we cannot accept these results," Lopez Obrador said. Lopez Obrador supporters who followed the folksy leftist with near religious zeal wept in the streets at news of his loss. A busload of children from a private school jeered at three women bawling uncontrollably as they held up banners. As Lopez Obrador emerged from his apartment, one woman rushed forward and startled him with a desperate embrace. Taken aback for an instant, the candidate reassured her and kissed her gently on the top of the head. Tears rolled down her cheeks.

07-06-2006, 09:36 PM	#2
spa ced Braindead Location: Machu Picchu Posts: 15,291	Has anyone else been following this election? Normally I would have been for the leftist Lopez Obrador but I don't believe in him. I don't really think he would do the things he says he wants to do. Plus I think need Mexico needs stability and growth right now. I don't really feel Lopez Obrador would be willing or able to actually accomplish those tasks. I really like Felipe Calderon...and it's not just because we share a last name...but because he seems like a very ingelligent and honest man.

07-06-2006, 09:38 PM	#3
spa ced Braindead Location: Machu Picchu Posts: 15,291	Here's an interview with Felipe Calderon: Felipe Calderón National Action Party WEYMOUTH: What is your vision for Mexico if you are elected president? CALDERON: I want Mexico to be a winner in a world that is competing for investment and jobs. Q: President Fox came to office with an ambitious reform agenda but did not succeed because he was blocked by the opposition. Many say that the same would happen to you. A: I am proposing a coalition government. I want to make agreements with other parties in the opposition in order to get a majority, and I am willing to share the program of the government and the cabinet. Q: The tone of the campaign is nasty. López Obrador said in the debate that your brother-in-law got government contracts when you were Energy minister. A: He claimed that I gave my brother-in-law $250 million in contracts when I was Energy minister, and he [alleged my brother-in-law] hadn't paid any taxes. That is absolutely false. Q: So López Obrador is lying? A: Yes. According to the law, the burden of proof is on the accuser, and they have not presented a single contract. Q: There are videotapes showing aides of López Obrador receiving money in the past from a businessman who's now in jail. A: Yes, it's like a thief calling someone else a thief. Q: Do you think he's like [Venezuelan President Hugo] Chávez? A: Let me tell you what he represents for this country. First is the denial of the rule of law; second, he will take the country to a new economic crisis because he believes the government will create jobs in Mexico. To generate economic growth, [he believes] the government has to increase spending above its capacity. All of this would result in an economic crisis similar to the crises of '76, '82, '87 and '94. In addition, he has this old ideology in which he pits the poor against the rich. There are powerful vested interests in this country—the owners of the TV networks and other tycoons—that any Mexican president must contend with. López Obrador takes pride in being a friend of [Mexican billionaire] Carlos Slim. But whatever the economic interests may be in Mexico, my commitment is with the Mexican people and not with the vested interests. Q: What kind of relationship would you like Mexico to have with the U.S.? A: It needs to be a constructive relationship so that the problems we share, including drug trafficking and immigration, will be solved by both countries. [We need] cooperation with dignity. Q: What did you think of President Bush's speech on immigration? A: I think it's a mistake to believe that immigration will be solved by the National Guard or a new wall. The only way to reduce immigration is to create jobs in Mexico. Q: Do your internal polls show you in the lead? A: I'm leading right now, but it's a very tense moment because I'm under attack.

07-07-2006, 08:15 AM	#4
JokeyLoki has great self of steam. Location: SECRET OBAMA FUCKDEN RENDEZVOUS Posts: 24,312	I didn't read any of that, but he's the guy that wants to stop immigration into the United States, isn't he? If so, I'm all for him.

07-07-2006, 10:05 AM	#5
Irridescent Fairysex glug glug glug Location: Island of jocks and jazz Posts: 8,931	I thought you'd be pro-Obrador like Julio. I don't like the guy either, he's demonstrating right now all the fears people had about him.

07-07-2006, 10:24 AM	#6
Irridescent Fairysex glug glug glug Location: Island of jocks and jazz Posts: 8,931	You know what's funny? a lot of former key colaborators of ex-president Salinas (the one who "won" the tuly fraudelent elections of 1988) are now key colaboratos of López Obrador. Camacho and Ebrard (he won the Mexico City elections this time) are both Salinists, Camacho was designed by Salinas to "legitimize" the election of 1988, now he's working on labeling this election as fraud. You know who is one of the few businesman to support Obrador? Carlos Slim, the third's richest guy in the planet, who guess what? was the favorite businessman of ex-President Salinas.

07-07-2006, 10:25 AM	#7
Irridescent Fairysex glug glug glug Location: Island of jocks and jazz Posts: 8,931	Do you speak spanish Tony? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgwOB9f4CJM

07-07-2006, 12:06 PM	#8
spa ced Braindead Location: Machu Picchu Posts: 15,291	Oh god that was hilarious...what a fucking idiot that man is. I like how he throws in "Why do TV reporters always ask that question?" at the end. Look at this excerpt from the interview with Lopez Obrador.. Q: Why do you keep attacking the president of the Central Bank, Guillermo Ortiz? A: Because Ortiz has been very costly to the country. He was the one who gave away the banks to those who had no experience. The banks failed, and later in 1997, Ortiz bailed out the bankers for $120 billion. Q: Wasn't it a good thing to rescue the banks? A: No. It cost a great deal and there was a lot of fraud. I am not going to interfere in monetary policies, but that doesn't mean I am afflicted with amnesia. What the fuck? If you don't rescue the banks...the currently loses all faith in the nation's economies...if you need to restructure banks you do so...or you enact legislation to protect people from bad banks...but you don't let banks completely fail. That undermines the economy and people's faith in the nation. That's Money & Banking 101... Thank god he lost the election.