MEXICO CITY – Andrés Manuel López Obrador, also known as AMLO, emerged as clear winner of Mexico’s July 1 elections. He will be the first leftist president in Mexico’s history. “We will apply the three principal values: not to lie, not to steal, and not to betray the people,” AMLO promised in his victory speech.
Andrés Manuel López Obrador belongs to left-wing coalition Juntos Haremos Historia (‘Together We’ll Make History’) and will not only be the first left-wing president, but also won more votes than any candidate before him.
According to electoral institute INE, AMLO received around 53% of votes. That put him around 30 points ahead of his nearest rival Ricardo Anaya of conservative National Action Party. AMLO vowed to preside over a harmonious political transition and remain honest and true to the people.
His agenda includes above all eradicating corruption, necessary move, as Mexico is one of the most corrupt countries in Transparency International’s corruption index. He also promised to double pensions and “guarantee all of Mexico’s young people their right to study and their right to work.” In addition, AMLO wants to increase the minimum salary, eliminate former presidents’ lifelong pensions, turn the presidential residency into a cultural center, and earn only half of current President Enrique Peña Nieto’s salary.
No les voy a fallar pic.twitter.com/ABtjyauaoR
— Andrés Manuel (@lopezobrador_) July 2, 2018
Security and organized crime
A big item remains security, which he wants to confront with new strategies. Government security agency Segob said that 2017 had the highest criminality index in two decades, with 25,000 homicides and 32,000 disappearances. The public security system revealed that between 2006 and 2016, at least 170,000 people died due to organized crime. AMLO wants to take the military off the streets, and improve the coordination and professionalization of the national police.
Trump and the migration crisis
Regarding international affairs, AMLO inicated to seek close ties with the United States. “We will offer our disposition to have a good relationship and cooperation with the United States of America,” said AMLO.
Yet, tensions are set to arise over Trump’s border policies. The president-elect said he will defend Central American immigrants, since he sees immigration as a human right. He emphasized that migration must be decision, not a necessity. Thus, AMLO aims to improve Mexico’s economy to induce citizens to remain in the country.
See also (in Spanish)
Editor-In-Chief Boris van der Spek is the founder of Chile Today.