Uncovering Mexico
Jeremy Schwartz is the Mexico correspondent for Cox Newspapers. He is based in Mexico City.What's on this page?
The entry titled "Is another circus on its way? Maybe not.."
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Home > Uncovering Mexico > Archives > 2007 > August > 27 > Entry
Is another circus on its way? Maybe not.
A year ago this week, Mexican politics reached one its weirdest points in recent memory during President Vicente Fox’s last State of the Nation address. Members of the opposition Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) seized the stage of the Mexican Congress, physically barring the president from entering the hall. A bewildered-looking Fox handed over a written copy of his speech and sped away.
On Saturday, it’s new President Felipe Calderon’s turn. With the PRD (and a sizeable percentage of the population) still convinced Calderon cheated his way to the presidency, what horrors might await the Mexican leader when he enters the Congress?
Surprisingly enough, Calderon might be facing a smooth ride Saturday as he negotiates with what has become a severely divided PRD.
Just a week ago, PRD leaders were telling the media that there was no way Calderon would be permitted to give his speech, that he would be barred by any means necessary. But now it seems that the PRD is willing to negotiate with Calderon and his National Action Party (PAN). From leaked reports, it seems the deal is roughly a trouble-free speech in return for debate on electoral reform, an issue near and dear to the PRD.
The brouhaha over the speech is more evidence of an ever-deepening split within the PRD leadership. The camps are divided between those loyal to Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, the losing presidential candidate, and a group called the New Left.
AMLO and his people are pushing for a policy of zero engagement with what they consider an illegitimate presidency. New Left leaders take a more pragmatic approach and say that by merely opposing the president, the PRD (the second largest political force in Congress behind the PAN) loses a chance to shape legislation.
The New Left rejected AMLO’s calls for zero negotiation last month and entered the fray on tax reform. Now they seem willing to trade a potential ruckus for electoral reform. Of course the whole deal could blow up if the hardliners have their way, and we could be in store for some more fireworks.
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