PRI candidate Enrique Pena Nieto wins Mexico's presidential elections
July 3, 2012
Mexico's presidential election results are in, and Enrique Pena Nieto has emerged victorious. The Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) expected a landslide victory with majority control throughout the government, but the Los Angeles Times reports this is not turning out to be the case.
"His mandate is clearly weaker than expected," Carlos Ramirez, a Mexico analyst for the Eurasia Group, explained to the LA Times. "He will be in a tough spot. The view inside the party was that they were going to win by a landslide... Pena will have to choose his battles because he's likely to encounter resistance from within his coalition."
A member of the PRI has not held presidential office since 2000, but party members expected an easy way back into power following National Action Party leader Felipe Calderon's term in office. The New York Times indicates Calderon's presidency oversaw a violent war on drugs, a weak economy and a significant amount of corruption.
Now Pena will be faced with the challenge of making the many reforms he promised during his campaign, but many are wary of the new leader's ability to do so due to his affiliation with the PRI, which has been known for its corrupt ways. However, the NY Times reports PRI's loss of majority control in Congress, combined with a more vocal public and media may be the perfect ingredients to prevent the PRI from slipping back to its old ways.
Those who want to discuss politics can make calls to Mexico with international phone cards to talk to their friends about the future of the government with Pena taking office.