Beyond AMLO's obvious self interest - he is, after all, running as a candidate in 2012 - I fully agree with his point: Spoiling the battle will not do the least service to Mexico's progressive forces, quite the contrary, just like the foolish 2009 "voto nulo" campaign achieved absolutely nothing but effectively handing over more votes to the PRI.
Sicilia is in every right to spoil his ballot, and call upon others to do the same.
We are also all in our right to denounce this as reckless stupidity.
I agree that Javier Sicillia is in effect just giving the PRI another boost while already way ahead in the polls, governorships, justices, and diputados. I would like to see the PAN and the PRD retain sufficient powers in the event of a PRI victory to defend the electoral democracy that exists in Mexico. In this election their survivals are mutually beneficial. As Churchill once put it, Democracy is the worst system except for all the other systems out there. Sicilia, Subcomandante Marcos, and Leon Krauze, who have all been tripping over themselves to give the PRI more political points, should consider Mexico's increasing benefits from a mature Democracy. As is normal always and everywhere, instead they have their own interests in mind. To date, Democracy remains weakly positioned to survive past 2012. One can only hope that the final months of endorsements, campaigns, and counter-campaigns maintain the balance of effective electoral competition... and therefore Democracy.
ReplyDeleteWise words, indeed.
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