Elections in Mexico focus on disgust for corruption and violence

MEXICO CITY – Mexicans vote Sunday in a potentially transformative election that could put in power a thunder promises to end politics and business as usual in a country tired of the spiral of violence, uncontrolled corruption and politicians in the grip of scandal.

But his rivals warn that a victory of leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador could delay the country with an interventionist economic policy and promise to fight corruption. change to Mexico. All candidates criticize President Donald Trump's policies against migrants and Mexico.

Sunday elections at all levels of government are the largest ever held in Mexico and have become a referendum on corruption, bribery and the like

This is the third Lopez Obrador's candidacy for the presidency and some see it as his best shot after 12 years of almost permanent campaign. His mockery of the "power mafia" that has long ruled Mexico and in favor of the poor seems to be falling on receptive ears with polls showing him a big lead over three rivals who have failed to ignite the rage. interest of voters.

"The corrupt regime is coming to an end," Lopez Obrador, 64, commonly known as AMLO, said in his latest election campaign on Wednesday. "We represent modernity forged from below."

Much of the popular anger was directed against the institutional revolutionary party of President Enrique Pena Nieto. His candidate, Jose Antonio Meade, has failed to win the favor of voters who would not give him the benefit of the doubt despite his ample curriculum in government and being an outsider of the ruling party.

Ricardo Anaya is the candidate of a right-left coalition. He tried to exploit the youth vote by focusing on technology and new ideas, but he divided his own conservative party to take his candidacy and it is unclear whether his new allies in the Party of the Democratic Revolution will turn to someone else.

Sunday is the first time that an independent candidate appears on the ballot.

Jaime "El Bronco" Rodriguez was beaten to attract attention with an "everyman" campaign mounted on horseback and throwing political bombs as his proposal to cut off the hands of public officials caught stealing . "Independent candidates are here to stay in Mexico," said Janine Otalora Malbadis, president of the Electoral Court on Friday

. living abroad can vote for downward voting races like senators. More than 181,000 newsletters were received and the 97,000 that the National Electoral Institute had recovered on Friday morning were already twice as large as in 2012.

Juan Carlos Enriquez, 30, said that He supported Lopez Obrador but that he

"Of course, I want him to win.But he must be clear that he has to deliver what he promises and does not not become like the rest, "he said.

Hovering over elections is the specter of electoral fraud, although election officials deny it's a possibility with the modern voting technology and institutions are now in place.

In Lopez Obrador's previous two presidential losses, he alleged a fraud. In his first defeat – only 0.56% to conservative Felipe Calderon in 2006 – his supporters held protests of several months in Mexico City and he presented himself as "the legitimate president".

His allies warn even before Sunday "They should not dare to commit fraud because if they do they will meet the devil," said Yeidckol Polevnsky, president of Morena's party of Lopez Obrador. "We will not accept it."