Calderón gets specific on narco interference in elections

Having warned several times in speeches and pronunciations this week of the infiltration of the narcos in Mexico's elections, it was about time for Calderón to get specific, and yesterday he did: According to the president, in the state of Michoacán, candidates in 50 municipalities were forced down by the narco. Notably, they were from all three parties - Enrique Peña Nieto had complained earlier that Calderón was targeting the PRI for electoral purposes.

Here is a graphic from Milenio:

Milenio

PAN's candidates get destructive

It's getting nasty. Ernesto Cordero, who is at least to me the most unlikable PAN precandidate in recent memory, launched a full-frontal attack on his party comrade  Josefina Vázquez Mota, dismissing her role as leader of the PAN's parliamentary group. He also said she didn't know anything about "public policies." Vázquez Mota in return launched an equally harsh attack, claiming Cordero didn't do a good job at the secretariat of Social Development, and blaming him for the rise in poverty in Mexico. Ouch! What a back-fire type of attack, as it most implicitly is an attack on the Calderón government's policies.

Cordero even accused her of "lying."

Less than 7 months left, and nasty infighting increasing among PAN's candidate, at a time when both PAN and PRI has a clearly defined candidate - it is hard to think of a worse starting position ahead of 2012.

The Guardian on U.S. guns in Mexico

While there is nothing particularly new in the report, the Guardian's backgrounder take on U.S. guns being smuggled to Mexico is absolutely worth the read, as it is an excellent, succinct summary and a good update for many.

Greg Sánchez now wants to be a senator

Gregorio "Greg" Sánchez, remember him? He was gubernatorial candidate in Quintana Roo in 2010, but was arrested by federal authorities on accusations of links to organized crime and for illicit enrichment.
Last August he was released from prison, though charges have apparently still not been dropped.

He notably spent the time writing 125 hymns to the lord - why of course, Greg is also a preacher and a born-again christian.

And now.. he wants to be a senator from Quintana Roo, running on the label of the Workers Party, the PT, which apparently backs his bid, as does AMLO.

Indeed the lord does move in mysterious ways.