From the Mexico State branch of the PT, Sergio Velarde:
"W have nothing against the senator and it is nothing personal, but she has no roots nor identity with the left in Mexico State"
From the Mexico state branch of Convergencia, Daniel Ríos:
"We are against the manner in which the designation was made, and we do not want to walk together with Yeidckol, because when she ran [in 2004-5] she showed a total disregard of the state, and six years later we see who has done nothing for the entity, so now we have to be more cautious in the designation."
Expect AMLO to dismiss the reaction to his dedazo as the work of Salinas.
Yet the best quote goes to Yeidckol Polevnsky herself, in more than a bit of unintended irony:
"The PRD will need to back me because one cannot impose on the party bases an alliance that nobody wants." Indeed one can't.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Excellent El Universal editorial on "gay conversions"
The Mexican media is finally giving more attention to the ludicrous and illegal practices of the Jalisco state government, led by the perennial drunkard Governor Emilio González Márquez, to help sponsor a "conference" of charlatans that purport to "heal" and "convert" gays - as if it were a mere matter of choice, or worse yet, a disease to be healed from. Jalisco's secretary of government, the crackpot Fernando Guzmán Pérez Peláez, has been accused of directly sponsoring the event with state funds, and is finally the subject of a criminal complaint filed by the state congress for diverting public money for a religious event. The case is front page news on El Universal today, which it rightfully should be.
In its editorial, the newspaper writes:
In its editorial, the newspaper writes:
"Its been 30 years ago that homosexuality was taken off the list of diseases of the World Health Organization. Almost 10 years ago, the Mexican Constitution embodied in its Article 1, paragraph 3, the non-discrimination clause on grounds of sexual preference. The Supreme Court already upheld the same-sex marriages despite resistance from the government of Jalisco. From what argument can one rationally and reasonably prescribe as 'cure' a procedure that contravenes any universal human rights and verifiable knowledge?"El Universal is far too generous. At this point in his tenure, no one should attribute any rationality or reason motivating the behavior of Emilio González Márquez's government. It lost control of the state house in 2009 due to his increasingly erratic behavior and poor job performance; it is now time to be held accountable to the law.
"Me encantaría Lázaro": Ebrard wants Lázaro Cárdenas as new PRD president
While Ebrard is walking carefully not to step on the toes of the current PRD leadership of Jésus Ortega and his social-democratic Nueva Izquierda faction, the Mexico City mayor expressed support for Lázaro Cárdenas Batel as new PRD president when Ortega steps down in March 2011.
A few quick comments:
1) Cárdenas Batel is hardly a controversial choice, and Ebrard says he expects AMLO to back him as well. I doubt this - AMLO will reject anyone he cannot control, and moreover has poor relations with his one-time mentor Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas, Lázaro's father. AMLO's candidate has long been Dolores Padierna; he will only support Làzaro if the latter explicitly opposes the PAN-PRD alliances.
2) Ortega was elected March 2008 yet due to the disastrous internal election, had to wait until the end of 2008 to take up office. Stepping down in March 2011is a concession, but Ortega also wants to avoid yet another ruinous internal party fight so close to the 2012 presidential elections
3) Because of this, it is crucial that no mass-election by the party base is held to elect PRD's new president. Every one of these elections has been a disaster; the PRD should follow PAN's example and elected the president through a vote by the national council of the party, which has in turn been elected by the party base. Alternatively - and a better alternative yet - is for Lázaro to become a "unity" candidate, which is what PRI is doing, and what Ebrard is seemingly eager to achieve. This would involve quite few concessions to many groups involved, but is a viable option, which include Cuauhtémoc dropping his 2012 ambitions and instead aiming for Lázaro in 2018.
A few quick comments:
1) Cárdenas Batel is hardly a controversial choice, and Ebrard says he expects AMLO to back him as well. I doubt this - AMLO will reject anyone he cannot control, and moreover has poor relations with his one-time mentor Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas, Lázaro's father. AMLO's candidate has long been Dolores Padierna; he will only support Làzaro if the latter explicitly opposes the PAN-PRD alliances.
2) Ortega was elected March 2008 yet due to the disastrous internal election, had to wait until the end of 2008 to take up office. Stepping down in March 2011is a concession, but Ortega also wants to avoid yet another ruinous internal party fight so close to the 2012 presidential elections
3) Because of this, it is crucial that no mass-election by the party base is held to elect PRD's new president. Every one of these elections has been a disaster; the PRD should follow PAN's example and elected the president through a vote by the national council of the party, which has in turn been elected by the party base. Alternatively - and a better alternative yet - is for Lázaro to become a "unity" candidate, which is what PRI is doing, and what Ebrard is seemingly eager to achieve. This would involve quite few concessions to many groups involved, but is a viable option, which include Cuauhtémoc dropping his 2012 ambitions and instead aiming for Lázaro in 2018.
AMLO's dedazo and brazen lie fractures his own coalition
AMLO's top-down heavily personalistic style has finally caught up with him: He is facing a significant rebellion even within his own and most loyal ranks, given his imposition of Yeidckol Polevnsky as "his" candidate for Mexico State in the upcoming gubernatorial election.
According to Daniel Ríos Ávila of Convergencia, AMLO had during his recent "Loyalty Tours" in Mexico State promised a poll/consultation/primary where leaders of Convergencia, PT, and PRD loyal to AMLO would together come up with the best-positioned candidate. This was to take place in January. Yet merely three days after the mass meeting in Toluca where AMLO concluded his 125-municipality tour, it was announced that he had already settled on Yeidckol Polevnsky after conducting his own "poll," apparently. Absolutely no figures have been released here; AMLO's allies were simply to take him on his word, which he already broke by his unilateral decision and appoint Yeidckol Polevnsky in the worst PRI-style dedazo - a party, to recall, that AMLO had belonged to his entire life until well after the infamous July 7, 1988 election, when Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas convinced him to finally ditch his old party.
Now, key allies such as Senator Óscar González says that the Partido del Trabajo (PT) "do not regard well the candidacy of Yeidckol Polevnsky; it doesn't satisfy us."
Leader of the Mexico State PRD, Luis Sánchez Jiménez, points out that, irony of ironies, Polevnsky, a non-party business woman, has long expressed deep admiration for Governor Enrique Peña Nieto, and recalls that she already had her go in 2005, when she came in a poor third, even after PAN.
As Sánchez Jiménez, a popular politician who himself would be a terrific choice as candidate, notes:
We do not accept nor will accept her as a candidate ... we are not obliged to accept impositions of her or anyone; we do not accept the authoritarianism of the former head of [Mexico City]," meaning AMLO.
It seems that many of AMLO's own followers are also reaching the same conclusion.
According to Daniel Ríos Ávila of Convergencia, AMLO had during his recent "Loyalty Tours" in Mexico State promised a poll/consultation/primary where leaders of Convergencia, PT, and PRD loyal to AMLO would together come up with the best-positioned candidate. This was to take place in January. Yet merely three days after the mass meeting in Toluca where AMLO concluded his 125-municipality tour, it was announced that he had already settled on Yeidckol Polevnsky after conducting his own "poll," apparently. Absolutely no figures have been released here; AMLO's allies were simply to take him on his word, which he already broke by his unilateral decision and appoint Yeidckol Polevnsky in the worst PRI-style dedazo - a party, to recall, that AMLO had belonged to his entire life until well after the infamous July 7, 1988 election, when Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas convinced him to finally ditch his old party.
Now, key allies such as Senator Óscar González says that the Partido del Trabajo (PT) "do not regard well the candidacy of Yeidckol Polevnsky; it doesn't satisfy us."
Leader of the Mexico State PRD, Luis Sánchez Jiménez, points out that, irony of ironies, Polevnsky, a non-party business woman, has long expressed deep admiration for Governor Enrique Peña Nieto, and recalls that she already had her go in 2005, when she came in a poor third, even after PAN.
As Sánchez Jiménez, a popular politician who himself would be a terrific choice as candidate, notes:
We do not accept nor will accept her as a candidate ... we are not obliged to accept impositions of her or anyone; we do not accept the authoritarianism of the former head of [Mexico City]," meaning AMLO.
It seems that many of AMLO's own followers are also reaching the same conclusion.
The deal that likely sealed 2012: Enrique Peña Nieto-Elba Esther Gordillo appears consecrated
The occasion was the inauguration of new branch headquarters of the Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación (SNTE), the teachers union headed by Elba Esther Gordillo. Indeed, the SNTE branch, Sección 36 in was personally headed by Gordillo more than 30 years ago, before she became national leader of SNTE in 1989. (For an excellent run-down of Gordillo, see this Economist article).
The key here is location. Section 36 is located in Ecatepec, Mexico State, and among the three thousands guests were none other than Mexico State Governor Enrique Peña Nieto, who also held a speech lauding Gordillo and her "goodwill."
Gordillo's contribution to the lovefest: "Our appreciation and gratitude to your government and our hope that we are able to make dreams reality."
She also used the occasion to announce the creation of yet another "evaluation system" of teachers, which will likely come to nothing: Gordillo and her ilk have fought tooth and nail against any serious objective means of evaluating teachers, many of whom are of an abysmally poor quality, yet who prove loyal foot soldiers during election time, where they may contribute their vote but also crucially be used to guard ballot boxes and polling stations.
SNTE remains a formidable force: It is the largest union in Latin America, and one of the largest world wide, with probably at least 1.4 million members. While Gordillo is known for turning her cape to the wind at short notice, this event seem to signify that she has now lined up fully behind Enrique Peña Nieto's 2012 presidential candidacy. With this added support, it will be hard to stop him.
The key here is location. Section 36 is located in Ecatepec, Mexico State, and among the three thousands guests were none other than Mexico State Governor Enrique Peña Nieto, who also held a speech lauding Gordillo and her "goodwill."
Gordillo's contribution to the lovefest: "Our appreciation and gratitude to your government and our hope that we are able to make dreams reality."
She also used the occasion to announce the creation of yet another "evaluation system" of teachers, which will likely come to nothing: Gordillo and her ilk have fought tooth and nail against any serious objective means of evaluating teachers, many of whom are of an abysmally poor quality, yet who prove loyal foot soldiers during election time, where they may contribute their vote but also crucially be used to guard ballot boxes and polling stations.
SNTE remains a formidable force: It is the largest union in Latin America, and one of the largest world wide, with probably at least 1.4 million members. While Gordillo is known for turning her cape to the wind at short notice, this event seem to signify that she has now lined up fully behind Enrique Peña Nieto's 2012 presidential candidacy. With this added support, it will be hard to stop him.
Gael Garcia: A wonderful actor and human being takes up cause of migrants
One of Mexico's top actors, Gael García Bernal, is doing his part to highlight the plight of migrants in Mexico in four short films made in cooperation with Amnesty International. They can be seen at:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/watch-invisibles-2010-11-02
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/watch-invisibles-2010-11-02
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