The result of the 2012 elections will push one way or the other. If the PRI wins with such a big margin that it ends up controlling Congress, the temptation for Peña Nieto to become a Mexican Putin will be immense. The public’s yearning for a crack-down on organised crime will only encourage him further. The deterioration of the security situation in Mexico is a tailor-made alibi for an authoritarian government and a big win would look like a blank cheque sent directly from the people.Read the column here.
(I am currently working on his excellent edited volume "Los Suspirantes 2012," on the 2012 candidates - more on that book later).
I find all of this PRI hate in the mainstream media concerning. Yes, it's a failure of Mexican democracy if they come back after all they did, but the PAN has been fairly disastrous too for the majority of the population. As far as the narco-violence, hasn't Pena Nieto already said that he would withdraw troops? I've always felt that the PRI's narco strategy would be a cushy-cushy deal with all players and hopefully dampen the violence. Then say 'We made Mexico safer'. Drug trafficking would continue, but it would continue anyway; it's a multi-billion dollar business... At least the PRI is smart enough to know that.
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