How the left may lose Michoacán: PT presents own candidate

Bad news for left unity in Michoacán, and for the upcoming (November) gubernatorial elections:
The Partido del Trabajo (PT), the Workers Party that pretends to present itself as more radical leftwing alternative to the PRD, announced it would field its own candidate for governor, Jorge Cázares of the CNTE "alternative" teachers union, as the PRD candidate Silvano Aureoles represents "the right within the left."

I hardly believe it is an exercise in leftwing sectarianism; that would presume that PT actually have political ideals. Rather, the party is likely seeking some electoral payoff from the PRD in exchange for joining its coalition.

The PT's presence in the state is very small, and of course has no chance of winning, yet in a tight election, which the coming one is likely to be, should the PT go alone this may be enough to sink the PRD candidate.

Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard and Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas have already said they will campaign in Michoacán for Senator Aureoles. All we need now is AMLO arriving in Michoacán to back Cázares.

PRI split over to seek an alliance with Elba Esther Gordillo for 2012

While some, like Veracruz Governor  Javier Duarte, sing her praise, other big-shot priistas openly come out against the powerful  Elba Esther Gordillo and her SNTE teacher union and PANAL party-for-hire, and reject an alliance with her for 2012. A couple of days ago, former presidential candidate  Francisco Labastida Ochoa spoke out against negotiating with Gordillo.

Now, former PRI president (the first-ever woman party president in Mexico) and current senator, María de los Ángeles Moreno, similarly said PRI shouldn't ally with Gordillo.

(PAN senator Santiago Creel, for his part, said that furthering "the human well being does not mean being allied with Elba Esther Gordillo.")


Given the mutual embrace of Gordillo and Enrique Peña Nieto, are we seeing a PRI split over the Gordillo alliance?

Narcopolitics in Michoacán: Long-term strategy to infiltrate politics

Mexico's Secretariat of Public Security detailed in an analysis how La Familia Michoacana for years - starting, apparently, in 2000 - "have sought to have persons related to their criminal organization popularly elected," and successfully penetrated in 2000-2007 security and justice institutions, and co-opted social actors.

SSP also claimed much success in the fight against the mafia, with 729 members arrested in the last three years.

Right now, 1,800 heavily armed federal police are arriving in Michoacán, ostensibly with the task of arresting Servando Gómez Martínez, o3 "La Tuta," the apparent head of La Famila, or Los Caballeros Templarios as they seem to be calling themselves now. La Tuta has been apparently spotted in the Apatzingán area by Mexican intelligence.

Governor Governor Ángel Aguirre goes for Ebrard 2012

While noting that he will back whoever is ahead in the poll the PRD will hold to determine its presidential candidate, Guerrero Governor Ángel Aguirre Rivero said Ebrard was "the best option" for 2012.

Not a surprise, given Ebrard's active campaigning in the state during Aguirre's campaign, but an important endorsement nonetheless.