Some readers have followed
our diaries here on DailyKos (and occasionally in the MSM) of Mexico's ongoing post-election battle over charges of fraud and demands for a complete recount by liberal candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and hundreds of thousands or even millions marching who felt the same way. A huge
partial recount has been concluded, but no official results are available yet.
Two quick things in today's Roundup:
A profile of the high-tension situation following a police dislodging of protesters in front of the legislature, from El Universal's English-language section.
And a great comprehensive introduction to the entire post-election situation in the context of what's been really going on in Mexico by two scholars working for the Council On Hemispheric Affairs, an organization known for both its committment to accurate, insightful analysis and standing up for the human needs of all of the Americas, but especially Latin America, and it generally leans quite liberal.
On the continuing social tensions based in both split opinions of the election count and result and in split opinions of the protesters' actions and impact. Brief excerpt (click link for original):
Political divide is amplified
BY KELLY ARTHUR GARRETT/THE HERALD MEXICO
El Universal
August 16, 2006
Fallout from the previous day´s beating by federal police of more than a dozen opposition lawmakers sharpened the political divide Tuesday as public officials from several parties - including the Mexico City [the city is controlled by the liberal party] chief of police - condemned the Fox administration´s use of force as an illegal and repressive overreaction.
...[Federal Security Secretary Eduardo Medino Mora] denied [liberal party] PRD claims that the federal operation was under the command of the presidential guard (EMP), a military unit, though EMP troops were on hand. He did confirm that the federal police troop presence - more than 200 - came at the request of Chamber of Deputies president Álvaro Elías Loredo, a PAN member who had told the media earlier that he had not made such a call.
The possibility that a top member of Congress triggered events that led to violence against fellow members of Congress from an opposing party underscores the extent of the political tension dominating the country.
Here's a bit from the Council on Hemispheric Affairs' Michael Lettieri and Magali Devic summarizing what we've seen and what we may soon see. (Click link for original article.)
Mexico: The Electoral Crisis Goes On Analysis prepared by COHA Research Fellow Michael Lettieri and COHA Research Associate Magali Devic
August 15th, 2006
- Mexico's court-ordered recount of 9.07 percent of the ballots cast in the July 2 presidential election concluded on Sunday
- The Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TEPJF) has not yet released the results of the recount, but initial reports suggest that a full recount will be merited
- Nothing is certain yet. The court still must certify the election and declare a president-elect, although it is not required to do so until September 6. In the meantime, the country passes through dangerous waters
- As the country waits for the final tally, impatience and frustrations among PRD candidate Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador's supporters have resulted in a sudden escalation of violence in Mexico City. The police have responded with a heavy hand
- Both candidates must continue the delicate theater arts in which they are now engaged. As López Obrador announces plans for ongoing acts of civil resistance, the standoff may continue for months
- The non-official winner of the initial vote, ruling PAN party candidate Felipe Calderón, needs to obtain a credible and legitimate victory, something he will only achieve through meaningful reconciliation with his opponents' demands for increased transparency
- López Obrador, on the other hand, needs to maneuver delicately between generating an appropriate level of political pressure for a full recount of the ballots, while not alienating the majority of Mexicans who are quickly growing weary of the protracted post-electoral conflict
Mexico's post-electoral quagmire is still far from being resolved, even though the TEPJF's 9.07 percent partial recount of presidential ballots concluded on Sunday. Indeed, despite Obrador's petition, the TEPJF only acknowledged the existence of wrongdoings, including some arithmetic mistakes and fraud at nearly 12,000 polling stations in 26 states. The TEPJF has not yet released results from the recount and the country is anxiously waiting for any sign of which way the outcome will break. As that tense vigil continues, it seems increasingly likely that the pre-election fears of societal conflict may be realized. On Monday, at a demonstration outside the Chamber of Deputies, federal police violently dispersed tear gas and brandished batons. As many as 30 protestors, including a reported 15 PRD elected officials, were injured in the ensuing melee. This clash, the first real incident of violent confrontation in the post-election period, potentially marks the beginning of a dangerous trend towards heightened political polarization...
The Tipping Point
...At the same time, however, democracy came to Mexico through protests such as those now being witnessed. Whether it was student demonstrators in 1968 or panista blockades in the 1980s, the country's political system has been pried open by the actions of a few committed dissidents. While the political regime in 2006 is far more open than the one which reigned in 1986, it is also a distortion to suggest that Mexico is currently a full-fledged and mature democracy. Monday's brutality confirmed that. With these facts in hand, López Obrador's unwillingness to concede may encourage a consolidation, rather than a limitation, of Mexico's democracy and its political processes.