Election Day winds down in Mexico

Elections in Mexico are coming to their end as polls are scheduled to close in a few hours. We will continue updating on what happens and hopefully have results confirmed tonight. Please leave comments below if you wish to discuss today's election proceedings. (All times EST).

(Updates from earlier today can be read here, later in the night can be viewed here.)

11.03pm- With slightly less than an hour to go until the IFE gives its preliminary report on the official results, none of the major Mexican television channels gives predictions on who will win the presidential election.

10:50pm- Images from Televisa and TV Azteca show hundreds of people gathering in the Zocalo, with supporters of AMLO waving yellow-colored flags.

10:20pm- Televisa confirms that the IFE has received information on 80% of the ballots which means that the head of the IFE will give a preliminary report on the official results at midnight tonight.

9:55pm- Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's campaign manager emphasizes that the majority of the exit polls have Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador as the winner.

(Quick note: from now on I will type out the initals of each candidate instead of writing it all out. Hence, AMLO = Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, RM = Roberto Madrazo, and FC = Felipe Calderon).

9:45pm- The head of the electoral observer from the European Union, acknowledged certain problems with voting such as lack of ballots but emphasizes that the election process has been very fair. (Interviewed on CNN en Español).

CNN en Español goes on to provide very early results and with less than 1% of votes counted Felipe Calderon has about 40% and leads Lopez Obrador by appoximately 7%. (Of course, it's far too early to predict a winner with so few votes counted).

9:30pm- The president of PRI, Mariano Palacios, goes on camera to call on the IFE (Mexican electoral board) to not leak electoral results ahead of the official preliminary report to be announced at midnight. A smiling Roberto Madrazo stands by his side, looking around the room.

Televisa goes on to reveal their exit poll on the House of Representatives and it has the same results as TV Azteca said a few minutes before.

9:18pm- CNN en Español says that Mexican newspaper El Universal finds the presidential elections to close to call.

9:05pm- Televisa’s main broadcaster just spent approximately 2 minutes screaming about how “the LAW allows us to give the RESULTS of the exit polls! This is what the LAW says.” Then he says that their exit polls are not ready yet, so they cannot report them.

TV Azteca reports their exit poll for the House of Representatives and it has the PAN leading with 35%, the PRD next with 31%, and the PRI/Partido Verde alliance with 28%.

7:55pm- A quick check on what bloggers have been saying over the past 24 hours on the elections:

-A U.S. expat in Mexico confirms that voter turnout has been high and relatively calm in the state of Quintana Roo. On the other hand, Mexican journalist Ana Maria Salazar points out the shortcomings at special ballot sites due to the high turnout and the killing of a PRD representative this morning in Guerrero.

-Poliblog touches on how the electoral process has been steadily democratizing since 1988’s debacle and links to another blog entry that questions if Mexico will become a two-round system in the next election.

-Going Global provides excellent insight into Mexico’s economic development vis-à-vis the electoral process.

-While CNN en Español has been my main source of information on the today’s electoral proceedings, their English-language website has been woefully short of coverage according to this blogger. Another blogger feels that the lack of coverage is more far-reaching than just CNN.

-How to commit voter fraud, as noted by a college student in Mexico City.

-Lopez Obrador will win! No, Calderon will win! To hell with them, they're both Commies.

6:45pm- Telemundo's national news says that Mexico's electoral board hopes to report publicly on the results of the presidential election around 11pm tonight. (Midnight EST, I think). Univision's national news interviewed a few of the thousands of Mexicans who crossed the border to go vote in Tijuana. Not all those interviewed were going to vote for one of the candidates, though they were optimistic in that the new president will help Mexicans living at home and abroad.

mexico, election

Mexico elects successor to Fox

Today is Election Day for Mexico in which voters will choose senators, federal officials, and most importantly the president. Throughout today, we will provide constant updates of elections in Mexico and hopefully have a winner confirmed by tonight. (All times are EST, unless mentioned otherwise).

(Updates from early in the evening of the election can be seen here and from late in the evening here).

6:05pm- Univision's local newscast (New York City) reports that absentionism in the New York metropolitan area is high. One Mexican barber interviewed says the "lack of information" discouraged Mexican expats to vote. Meanwhile, Telemundo's local newscast interviewed Mexican expats who acknowledged that they harbor distrust against the presidential candidates. Reuters says that only 40,000 of the millions of Mexicans living abroad voted via absentee ballot.

5:50pm- CNN en Español repeated that something I forgot to mention a while ago- the Zapatistas are having a small rally in Mexico City urging abstentionism from today's elections. It looks doubtful that that will be the case as one electino expert interviewed predicted that today's turnout may supercede the 75% mark from 6 years ago.

4:55pm- So what have bloggers been saying lately on the Mexican elections over the past few days?

-VivirLatino linked to an article from AlterNet describing why it is important to pay attention to Mexico’s election.

-Latin America News Review mentions a Reuters article describing how a win by Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador would signal a continuing shift to the political left in Latin America.

-The Washington Post’s special blog on the Mexican elections posts about the calm between Thursday and Saturday due to the law banning all official campaigning during that time.

-Want to see Felipe Calderon’s controversial ads against Lopez Obrador? Check this post for links to YouTube videos.

-A detailed post expanding on what we mentioned a few days ago on the teachers’ strike in Oaxaca and how it could affect the election.

-Two differing views on Lopez Obrador playing the “Jesus card” in his campaign rhetoric.

-Greg Palast conjures a conspiracy theory that has the Bush administration rigging today’s election.

Later today we will link to what bloggers have been saying today on the elections. Please feel free to leave a note in the comments if you have a post that you would like us to link to.

4:10pm- CNN en Español reports that there seems to be a higher voter turnout today; at least 60% and possibly higher, according to their reporters. There have been very few incidents of violence in “isolated areas” as well as few problems surrounding “logistical” problems. The main candidates- Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (PRD), Felipe Calderon (PAN), and Roberto Madrazo (PRI/Partido Verde) - voted this morning. A graphic mentions that thousands of Mexicans residing along the border crossed into Tijuana in order to vote.

Election officials will start a “quick count” of the votes for president around 9pm.

mexico, election

World Cup: Brazil bounced out by fab France

The reign of Brazil as World Cup champs ended yesterday after losing 1-0 in the quarterfinals against France. Thierry Henry scored the game’s lone goal in the 58^th minute off a free kick by Zinedine Zedane, who scored two goals the last time both of these teams met in a World Cup in the 1998 final. Brazil had few scoring opportunities during the match, though their closest chance came late in the game when Ronaldinho curled a free kick mere inches above the crossbar. Along with Argentina’s loss yesterday the World Cup semifinals will be an all-European affair for the first time since 1982.

soccer, world cup,argentina, brazil

Countdown to Mexican Election Day: 2 days to go

Tomorrow we will examine the views of bloggers on Mexico’s presidential election.

In the meantime, here are several recent headlines on the Mexican presidential election:

-Ex-president arrested: A judge has ordered the arrest of former president Luis Echeverria for his role in the 1968 student massacre at Tlateloco. It’s unknown if Echevarria’s arrest will have an impact on the ballots, though it may hurt PRI candidate Roberto Madrazo who runs about 10 points behind Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Felipe Calderon.

-Election officials ready for anything: Mexico’s election agency is trying to ensure that Sunday’s election will be free and fair, especially with the strong possibility that results will be very close and Mexico has no runoff election. Officials from the Federal Electoral Institute still hope that results can be verified within hours of the final ballots cast. (Please read this article for more details on how the election works).

-Polls set up along border areas: In spite of the probability of high absenteeism amongst Mexicans living abroad, election officials are ensuring that there are sufficient voting locations in areas near the U.S.-Mexico border.

-Traders worry over possible Lopez Obrador win: The value of 10-year bonds fell on Friday as traders are pessimistic over the economy if Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador wins. Lopez Obrador’s chief economic advisor tried to assure economic analysts that Lopez Obrador would not increase the budget deficit if elected.

-Teachers stike could affect vote: A month-long teachers protest in the state of Oaxaca has officials concerned that it may difficult to ensure fair voting there. The teachers are protesting for higher wages and better working conditions and have called for the resignation of the governor of Oaxaca.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Roberto Madrazo, Felipe Calderon, mexico, election

World Cup: Achtung, baby! - Argentina ousted by Germany

Argentina got eliminated from the World Cup after losing to Germany via penalty kicks. Germany goalie Jens Lehmann stopped penalty tries by Roberto Ayala (image) and Esteban Cambiasso, while the Germans converted all of their penalty opportunities. Ironically, it was Ayala who gave the “albicelestes” the lead in regular time with a header off a corner kick in the 47^th minute, only to have Miroslav Klose head in the equalizer in the 80^th minute. The game itself was slow and methodical with over 50 fouls committed by both teams. Argentina has been unable to move past the quarterfinal round of the World Cup since they won the tournament 20 years ago against what was then known as West Germany.

Update: Jose Pekerman, Argentina's coach, resigned immediately after the match ended.
soccer, world cup,argentina

Canada about to deport Costa Rican family

A Canadian judge ordered the deportation of a Costa Rican family who had been living in Canada illegally for several years. The case of the Lizano-Sossa family (image) has been controversial for several months after immigration authorities took four of the family members into custody on the same day. The family, along with neighbors and several opposition politicians, has petitioned the Immigration Minister to grant the Lizano-Sossa family with a reprieve before they leave Canada on the weekend.

immigration, canada, Costa Rica

World Cup: Argentina meets Germany in quarterfinals today; Ecuador’s Delgado retires

Argentina faces a big test in their quest for the title when they play hosts Germany later today (kickoff set for 11am). Both of these teams met in the 1986 and 1990 World Cup finals, and Argentine coach Jose Pekerman (left image) notes the similarities between this year’s squad and the championship team from 20 years ago. Germany and Argentina have gone undefeated in the tournament, though Germany has won every single game so far. For interesting facts on both teams, including the 2005 hit song dedicated to Carlos Tevez, check out this post from the New York Times’ World Cup blog.

Meanwhile, Ecuador striker Agustin Delgado (right image) announced his retirement from international play four days after his team got eliminated by England. “I feel I've achieved my goals…but my decision is taken - I'll quit the national team” said “el Tin” in an interview to an Ecuadorian newspaper.

soccer, world cup,argentina, ecuador

“Ugly” novela coming to English-language television this fall

An English language adaptation of the successful Colombian telenovela “Betty La Fea” (image) will start airing this fall on ABC. In the adaptation, produced by Salma Hayek, a homely-looking woman from the outer boroughs of New York City rises to power at a Manhattan-based fashion magazine. (Perhaps Amy Sedaris could be the new “Betty” based on the answer to the first question asked in this interview from The Onion).

colombia, television, united states

Peruvians divided over supporting free trade deal

A possible free trade deal between the U.S. and Peru has divided Peruvians of different backgrounds. The deal may be ratified by Peru’s congress any day now, and has the backing of President Alejandro Toledo and president-elect Alan Garcia.

international economy, free trade, Peru

Countdown to Mexican Election Day: 3 days left

Yesterday marked the last official day of campaigning in Mexico and each of the three main candidates made sure to end their campaigns with a bang. Ex-Mexico City mayor Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (PRD) emphasized improving the economy at a rally (image) at the Plaza de Zocalo in front of over 100,000 sympathizers. Officialist candidate Felipe Calderon (PAN) ended campaigning in the state of Jalisco where he held a massive rally over the weekend at a soccer stadium. Ex-governor Roberto Madrazo (PRI-Partido Verde) finished campaigning in Mexico City where he emphasized begin the most moderate candidate.

The following are several headlines of interest from the past few days on the election:

-Few ex-pats will vote: Mexican election officials are expecting very few Mexicans living abroad to vote on Sunday. This may be due to tough rules surrounding expatriates’ right to vote and candidates campaigning outside of Mexico.

-Promise vs. Fear: A New York Times article implies that the election boils down to a referendum on left-wing candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. Voters are either taken by his idealism and promise to improve the lives of all Mexicans or fearful of populist reforms that could polarize the country.

-The Chavez Factor: A post from the blog of Foreign Policy magazine looks at how the image of Hugo Chavez is used by Felipe Calderon to hurt Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. The post goes on to say that a Lopez Obrador victory would not lead to the divisive populism demonstrated by Chavez.

-Nightmare on the horizon?: Reuters examines the possible worse-case scenario that could result from a closely-won and disputed victory by one of the candidates including “millions of angry protestors… (and)…financial markets collapsing”.

-“Voto Joven” may decide race: The Washington Post’s special blog on the elections examines how Mexico’s youth vote may very well be the deciding factor on Election Day and candidates have spared no expense in attracting young voters. The blog post even has embedded video on Mexico’s “voto joven.”

-Leftist to win mayoral election: Polls have shown PRD candidate Marcelo Ebard with a 19-point lead ahead of his nearest rival in the elections for Mexico City mayor. Ebard is a former Mexico City police chief and a “close confidant” of Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Roberto Madrazo, Felipe Calderon, mexico, election

Economic buzzword in Latin America: “mergers”

The number of mergers and acquisitions involving Latin American companies has increased dramatically this year to the tune of nearly $70 billion so far. These business deals are not unidirectional and include Latin American firms initiating the buying (e.g. Argentine-based Tenaris SA purchasing U.S.-owned Maverick Tube Corporation), Latin American companies being bought (e.g. the growth of Telefonica), and restructuring without foreign presence (e.g. Brazilian-based Tele Norte Leste SA).

international economy, latin america

Chavez and Bush actually agree on something- to say no to drugs

In spite of all the nasty rhetoric between the governments of U.S. and Venezuela, officials from both governments announced that they will sign an anti-drug pact next week. The deal would ensure more cooperation between both countries to combat the illegal drug trade.

drugs, international politics, Venezuela, united states

Countdown to Mexican Election Day: 4 days left

Mexico will elect a new president in about 100 hours and The Latin Americanist will post every day in anticipation of Election Day. Today, we had planned to offer an in-depth analysis of each of the three main candidates- Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Roberto Madrazo, and Felipe Calderon. Yet while conducting research we found a thorough and well-written article on the candidates from the BBC. Hence, we will link to that article and hope that you read it, and gain a better understanding of the backgrounds and ideas of the three main candidates.

Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Roberto Madrazo, Felipe Calderon, mexico, election

World Cup: Brazil makes into quarterfinals; “Soca Warriors” and “Ticos” return home to different receptions by fans

Brazil won their round of 16 match on Tuesday by shutting out Ghana 3-0. Ronaldo (left image, celebrating his goal with teammates) became the leading goal scorer in World Cup history after he scored early in the first half. Brazil will meet France in the quarterfinals for the first time in the World Cup since the 1998 final won by France 3-0.

Meanwhile, the teams from Trinidad and Tobago and Costa Rica returned to their respective countries yet received different reactions upon their arrival. The “Soca Warriors” (right image) got a hero’s welcome over the weekend which included thousand of fans celebrating in the streets of Port-of-Spain, and a $167,000 bonus for each player. On the other hand, the “Ticos” were welcomed home by hecklers dismayed after the team’s early exit from the tournament.

soccer, world cup, Trinidad and Tobago, Costa Rica, brazil

Colombian government not doing enough to help the displaced, says U.N.

Displaced people in Colombia are not afforded the rights they are entitled to and the government needs to take a more active role in assisting them, according to a U.N. official that toured the country. Around 2 or 3 million Colombians are displaced (depending on the source of information) and most of them moved to extreme poverty in cities from rural areas marred by violence.

colombia, human rights, united nations

Venezuela: new currency to come in ‘08

President Hugo Chavez wants to introduce the “Nuevo Bolivar,” a new type of currency that would remove the three final zeroes from the Bolivar. The government wants to make this change in order to facilitate economic reform, though critics feel Chavez is personalizing government to his liking a la changing the coat of arms.

international economy, Venezuela, hugo chavez