Surprise: polls show Nuevo León going to AMLO, with mayoralties sticking to PAN and PRI

La politica es la politica is posting 32 articles - one for each state in Mexico, including Mexico City - in advance of the July 1, 2018, presidential election. Nuevo León is the 18th post, after Aguascalientes, Baja California Sur, Baja California, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico City, Michoacán, Morelos, and Nayarit.

The state of Nuevo León is located in northeastern Mexico. The geography of the state is unusual, as the state of Tamaulipas has a sliver of land that extends between Nuevo León and the United States. The Nuevo León border with Texas is only 15 kilometer (9 mi) long. The population of the state is about 5.2 million, and the capital city is Monterrey.

Monterrey is a commercial center and the home to many large corporations. It’s not uncommon for Mexicans and Americans, some with dual citizenship, to cross the border on a daily basis for work. Monterrey is also one of the wealthiest cities in Mexico with a total annual GDP of US$142 billion (2017).

There have been some big changes in Monterrey over the last decade. In 2005 and 2006 the city was ranked one of the safest in Mexico, but then the Mexican government began its country-wide militarization of the drug war, and things deteriorated rapidly, with 2011 being the most violent year in the city’s history.

In Nayarit, Tepic is caught in the fight between the Sinaloa Cartel and Los Mazatlecos, enforcers for the Beltrán Leyva Cartel

La politica es la politica is posting 32 articles - one for each state in Mexico, including Mexico City - in advance of the July 1, 2018, presidential election. Nayarit is the 17th post, after Aguascalientes, Baja California Sur, Baja California, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico City, Michoacán and Morelos.

Nayarit is a small state in Western Mexico with a population of 1.2 million. Its capital is the inland city of Tepic. Nayarit has a significant shoreline on the Pacific Coast and popular tourist areas along the "Riviera Nayarit". The state is bordered by Sinaloa to the northwest, Durango to the north, Zacatecas to the northeast and Jalisco to the south.

The political representation in Nayarit is diverse. The governor is Antonio Echevarría García from the National Action Party (PAN). Echevarría is a business man and political neophyte who defeated the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) candidate by 11 points, garnering 38% of the total.

Of the three federal senators, two are with the PRI, and one is with the Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD).

Morena fends of corruption charges, links to organized crime in Morelos

La politica es la politica is posting 32 articles - one for each state in Mexico, including Mexico City - in advance of the July 1, 2018, presidential election. Morelos is the 16th post, after Aguascalientes, Baja California Sur, Baja California, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, Mexico City, and Michoacán. 

The Mexican state of Morelos is located in South-Central Mexico. Its capital city is Cuernavaca, a short drive through the mountains directly south of Mexico City. Morelos has a population of about 2 million, and is a small state – only Tlaxcala covers less area.

Morelos is one of the eight states that’s electing a new governor on July 1. There are eight candidates:

• Rodrigo Gayosso Cepeda for the left of center Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD).
• Alejandro Vera Jiménez for New Alliance (Nueva Alianza).
• Jorge Meade Ocaranza for the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), the same party as sitting president, Enrique Peña Nieto.
• Cuauhtémoc Blanco for the Morena-led Together We make History (Juntos Haremos Historia).
• Víctor Manuel Caballero Solano for the National Action Party (PAN).
• Nadia Luz Lara Chávez for the Green Party (PVEM).
• Mario Rojas Alba for the Humanist party; and Fidel Demédicis Hidalgo as an independent.

Twelve years ago Felipe Calderón called the army into Michoacán, and it's still there

La politica es la politica is posting 32 articles - one for each state in Mexico, including Mexico City - in advance of the July 1, 2018, presidential election. Michoacán is the 15th post, after Aguascalientes, Baja California Sur, Baja California, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, Jalisco, and MexicoCity.

The Mexican state of Michoacán is located in Western Mexico, with a population of about 4.6 million. The state has an extensive coastline on the Pacific, and extends inland to the Tierra Caliente and up over the Sierras to the capital city, Morelia.

It was in Michoacán where President Felipe Calderón first militarized the war on drugs. Only days into his administration, in December of 2006, he sent the army to his home state. Twelve years later, the army is still there, and Michoacán remains a hotbed of cartel activity.

From a political perspective, the governor of Michoacán is a member of the left of center Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD). Two federal senators belong to the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which ruled Mexico for the better part of the 20^th century, and is also the party of the sitting president, Enrique Peña Nieto.

Claudia Sheinbaum will have her work cut out for her as Mexico City's new mayor

La politica es la politica is posting 32 articles - one for each state in Mexico, including Mexico City - in advance of the July 1, 2018, presidential election. Mexico City is the 14th post, after Aguascalientes, Baja California Sur, Baja California, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, Hidalgo, and Jalisco.

Mexico City is not only the capital of Mexico, it is also the most populous city in North America. Though the official population is around 9 million, the greater metropolitan area has over 21 million, making it the largest in the Western Hemisphere. On July 1 the city will be electing a mayor – a powerful position of national importance – as well as three federal senators.

According to a survey conducted by Massive Caller, Claudia Sheinbaum, the candidate for the Morena Party-led “Together We Will Make History” coalition appears most likely to win. Alejandra Barrales of the right-left coalition “For Mexico City in Front” is Sheinbaum’s nearest rival, while Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) candidate Mikel Arriola is lagging in third place.

This is perhaps not surprising, given that the leading presidential candidate is Andrés Manuel López Obrador (also known simply as “AMLO”), who was mayor of Mexico City from 5 December 2000 to 29 July 2005. AMLO’s tenure is generally seen as a success. He left office with an 84% approval rating and, according to one accounting, kept 80% of the promises he made.

Jalisco's new governor will be staring down the CJNG

La politica es la politica is posting 32 articles - one for each state in Mexico, including Mexico City - in advance of the July 1, 2018, presidential election. Jalisco is the 13th post, after Aguascalientes, Baja California Sur, Baja California, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, Guerrero, and Hidalgo.

The Mexican state of Jalisco has a population of 8.25 million, with its capital being Mexico’s second largest city, Guadalajara. The state is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean, and extends far to the northeast over the Sierras, including an odd protrusion to the north.

Guadalajara is the home of mariachi, and is also known for being a bastion of the Roman Catholic faith. To the north is world-famous town of Tequila. To the west of the capital are two areas popular with foreigners: Lake Chapala, and Puerto Vallarta on the Pacific Coast.

Given Jalisco’s conservatism, it’s no surprise the left-leaning parties tend not to do well here. The governor is a member of Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which ruled Mexico for most of the 20^th century, and is the party of the sitting president, Enrique Peña Nieto. Two federal senators are also members of the PRI, with the third belonging to the right-of-center and pro-Catholic National Action Party (PAN).

Jalisco is one of the eight states which will also be electing a new governor on July 1. It’s a full ticket. The following candidates are running: Carlos Manuel Orozco Santillán, (Party of the Democratic Revolution, or PRD); Carlos Lomelí Bolaños (for the Juntos Haremos Historia, “Together We Make History”, coalition, which includes Morena, the Workers Party, and Social Encounter); Enrique Alfaro Ramírez (Citizens Movement); Miguel Castro Reynoso (PRI); Miguel Ángel Martínez Espinosa (PAN); Martha Rosa Araiza Soltero (New Alliance); and Salvador Cosío Gaona (Green Party).

The main issue in Hidalgo? Corruption, which bodes well for Morena

La politica es la politica is posting 32 articles - one for each state in Mexico, including Mexico City - in advance of the July 1, 2018, presidential election. Hidalgo is the twelfth post, after Aguascalientes, Baja California Sur, Baja California, Campeche, Chiapas, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Colima, Durango, Guanajuato, and Guerrero.

Hidalgo is a small state in central-east Mexico. With a population approaching three million, the state is dominated by the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI), which ruled Mexico for most of the 20^th century and is also the party of President Enrique Peña Nieto. The governor is a member of the PRI, as are two of the three federal senators. The third is a member of the left-of-center Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD).

However, according to a telephone survey at the end of May, the two senatorial candidates for the left-of-center Morena party are leading their opponents by 17 points. This bodes well for presidential candidate and Morena leader Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), who is also leading in national polls.

The state has not been immune to election violence. On May 3, the mayor of Pacula, Alejandro González Ramos, was shot three times in Jiliapa. González Ramos was a member of the right-of-center National Action Party (PAN). During the six year tenure of Peña Nieto 30 sitting mayors have been killed in Mexico. If former mayors are included, the number rises to at least 75, according to the National Mayors Association.

But corruption is the big issue in Hidalgo during this election cycle. Civic groups claim that a massive electrification plant in Tizayuca that burns garbage was pushed forward with a lack of transparency, and with possible corruption on the part of the former PRI governor Francisco Olvera. The PAN has demanded an investigation into the environmental impact of the plant, specifically with regard to contamination of air and water, noting that there was significant local opposition.