Is the Andrés Manuel that we saw on Tuesday in Iztapalapa the same one that managed to convince 15 million Mexicans choose him in 2006? Is the man with a tough appearance, defiant attitude, and arrogant strategy the one who conquered millions during his years on the campaign? I couldn't stop asking myself these questions while I watched and rewatched the images of the meeting in Iztapalapa. Did he trick us or not? Did the defeat change him or did it only exacerbate his worst side?As Maerker points out, one person who famously did see through AMLO before election was Enrique Krauze.
But, what did we see? To start, the act itself, defiant and self-satisfied. While he shared his great plan to mock the decision of the Electoral Tribunal, Andrés Manuel looked euphoric, he seemed to be saying that he wasn't going to let one get away, and that if anything gets in his way, he always finds a way around it. And it's a given that if it's about him, it doesn't matter if the path is eccentric and anti-democratic, it's valid because it's his. It's that simple. Hence, the humiliating tone.
[Break]
Did we have any indication that López Obrador was like this? I'd like to say no, but the truth is that we did; attributes that without a doubt the loss has accentuated: his contempt for those marched against insecurity, his "cállate chachalaca" [a famous insult of Vicente Fox], the tolerance for his guys, the intolerance of others, his decision to not go to the first debate, the made-up polls.
Friday, June 19, 2009
Should We Have Seen it Coming?
Denise Maerker, who has previously expressed sympathy for AMLO and his cause, wonders if he's changed since before the 2006 elections:
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2 comments:
Control of Iztapalapa is a prize worth fighting to the death over for AMLO and his followers. Iztapalapa is the largest borough in the D.F. and home to more perredistas than any other municipality or borough in the country, spare Ecatepec.
Also, it's been run by Sen. Rene Arce and his brother for ages. Both are aligned with the New Left faction, the same one run by AMLO enemy and current PRD president Jesus Ortega. Thus, having ace organizer Rene Bejarano pull the PRD nomination away from the New Left was a coup.
Iztapalapa provided a sold base to the PRD in past elections, but it will go down as the party's grave. No obituary on the party can be written without highlighting the ongoing debacle in Iztapalapa.
Hi David,
As always thanks for the analysis, I'd not heard it explained quite like that. What do you make of Ebrard essentially folding? He says he wants to run in 2012, eventually that is going to necessarily mean standing up to and probably breaking with AMLO, don't you think? Why not now? What's his strategy?
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