Michoacán: Morelia elections annulled, possibly entire state elections

Mexico's electoral tribunal TEPJF's (specifically its regional branch in Toluca) annulled PRI's victory in the mayoral race held past month in the state capital Morelia.

The argument: The illegal live television coverage of campaign closing of gubernatorial candidate Fausto Vallejo, and a boxing match where one of the fighters wore shorts with PRI's logo - forbidden according to electoral rules.

Officially, difference between PRI's Wilfrido Lázaro Medina and PAN's Marko Cortés Mendoza was only 2000 votes, or 119, 941 to 122, 258. Now a rematch will need to be held.

PRI, as one may imagine, is not happy about the verdict, and strongly suggests pressure from president Calderón , who it notably took a month to recognize the victory of Vallejo as governor.

Now, given TEPJF's reasoning, the PRD demands annulling the entire state elections, pointing to narco interference but also that of President Calderón himself. PAN also demands the governor election cancelled. I really doubt that, as it would be quite extraordinary, but then again, we live in extraordinary times.

There is already one problem: Morelia will for sure need to run new elections, but they are not cheap - and the state electoral institute does not have money for another extraordinary election.

(On another note, the Archdiocese of Morelia comes out pretty strongly against the recent governments of the state, particularly that of Lázaro Cárdenas Batel (2001-07), essentially accusing him of not having been prepared at all for the job and exercised it poorly).

Vote-by-vote recount in Morelia gives victory to PRI

Following a manual, full vote-by-vote recount in Morelia, the victory of PRI in the mayor's race for the capital city of Michoacán was confirmed, with 2,347 more votes for Wilfrido Lázaro Medina over Marko Cortés Mendoza. Final count: 122, 258 to 119, 941. The PRD came in a distant third.

This did not stop Cortés from impugning the election to the state's electoral court.

Michoacán: PAN at its worst

There is something truly repugnant about virtually every step the PAN has taken in Michoacàn ahead of the November gubernatorial election.

As is known by know, the president's sister,  Luisa María Calderón Hinojosa, became the PAN's candidate for governor. Nothing illegal, though it bears notice that the pact she made with her brother and other member of the Calderón family in 2006 to NOT seek any elected office while Felipe was president, was just a lie. Shocker.

Yet now, Marko Cortés Mendoza, the losing candidate in PAN´s primary, has just been given the consolation price of becoming PAN´s mayoral candidate in Morelia. First, I think it tells you a bit of his character that he even threatened to leave the PAN and run for another party should he not get some kind of reward. A pure opportunist - I think the morelianos deserve someone with a bit more principles. But it gets worse: Marko - he goes by his first name in the state - was directly appointed candidate centrally by the PAN, reminiscent of the worst dedazos of the PRI regime. This does not please local deputy Alfonso Martínez, who has been campaigning long and hard for the nomination, yet simply received news that any primary is cancelled.

And worse it gets: Despite all the dirty laundry aired in public, and quite a bit of mudslinging, regarding the PANAL party of  Elba Esther Gordillo, based on her iron grip of the SNTE teachers union, and despite declarations from PAN it would not stoop again to the low of allying with Gordillo, the PAN in Michoacàn did just that.

I hope Michoacán makes a wise electoral choice on the coming Nov. 13.

Cocoa's the one: President Calderón's sister wins party primary in Michoacán

Luisa María Calderón Hinojosa, "Cocoa," won PAN's primary election in Michoacán to be the party's gubernatorial candidate, with 58 percent of the 25,757 votes cast. Her opponent, Senator Marko Cortés Mendoza, has accepted the defeat - despite some alarmist suggestions that he would cause quite a bit of mayhem and claim a fraud.

Quite the contrary - Cortés said he would fully back Cocoa. His loss is also a defeat for Santiago Creel, who openly backed his aspirations against those of the president's sister.

With her candidacy, the November Michoacán election looks even more set to be a completely open three-way race. Quite likely, PRI and PRD will denounce "nepotism," and accuse Calderón, fairly or not, of intervening in the local election.

Clearly she has every right to participate. But voters should also bear in mind that she is also a woman who does not stick to her word:  She is openly breaking an earlier agreement from 2006 that no family member would be in the public as long as Felipe was president. That was then; this is now - but it was clearly a lie.

PRI has said that a victory Michoacán is essential for the party on its path to 2012: Its leader said he will literally not leave the state until the election.  So it is, of course, for the PRD, as the state might be considered the party's cradle. But finally, also to the PAN, and not only for the above: It won its first municipal president (Quiroga), first local deputy, and first national deputy there, eons ago.

This will be a very dramatic - and competitive - affair.

Fistfight! And fire extinguisher! PAN in Michocán comes to blows over Cocoa vs. Marko

I do not condone violence and even less to solve political conflicts. Yet the internal turmoil in PAN's state branch in Michoacán, where the party is divided over whether President Calderón's sister Luisa María "Cocoa" or Senator Marko Cortés should be its gubernatorial candidate for the November election, sounds like something out of a slapstick movie:

"[Marko's campaign coordinator] Eduardo Chavira Garcia came to the other end of the hall, where [Luisa María's coordinator] Mariano Torres stood,  and suddenly planted a coupled of blows to his face....Mariano Torres lost his balance and fell backward on a fire extinguisher, which got turned on and released powder over those cheering. Shoving ensued between supporters of two rival groups, but there were no more blows, although insults and threats.Members of the Presidential Guard, who constantly guard Luisa María Calderón, merely observed the scene and surrounded Cocoa."

(though El Universal reports the EMP guard intervened on behalf of Cocoa's supporters)

Refreshing to hear the PRD isn't the only party with unorthodox dispute mediation techniques.

Michoacán: Battle to be PAN's nominee likely to get nasty

Luisa María Calderón Hinojosa, or "Cocoa," is the sister of President Felipe Calderón. Quite controversially, she now seeks to become PAN's nominee for the 2011 gubernatorial contest, the last state election ahead of the 2012 presidential elections.

The controversy may be obvious: As the president's sister, "Cocoa" will almost by default have accusations launched that the president is loading the dice in her favor. She admitted there will be "tension" in the fight over the nomination, but rejected any dirty play. Her main opponent is Marko Cortés Mendoza, who is suggesting a dirty campaign is already being waged, but rejects to step down from seeking the nomination even if Calderón asks him.

Things are likely to heat up in PAN Michoacán.

Calderón's sister does not rule out dialogue with drug gang; wants to be governor

Luisa María Calderón Hinojosa, nicknamed "Cocoa," wants very much to be governor of her and her little brother Felipe Calderón's home state of Michoacán.

Here's a profile of her in El Universal. Of note: She appears not to rule out a call for dialogue with La Familia Michoacana, the Michoacán-based mafia:

"Would make a call for conversion with the cartel "La Familia Michoacana"?
"In part, but in time, and with outcomes they would have to comply with"

She also refuses to call herself a "rightwinger," not surprising given the strength of cardenismo and left wing forces in Michoacán.

Some personal observation: Despite her interest, and the obvious advantage of being the president's sister - I've said it before and will say it again: this stinks of nepotism - her nomination is far from secured. Many panistas in the state I spoke with the past weeks seem to be more inclined toward Senator Marko Cortés Mendoza, who appears to be doing far more proselytizing and activism in the state than Calderón's sister.
He seems much more popular with the bases, though these are mere personal impressions.
Here is his Web page - it's pretty slick.

However, my personal favorite for who would be the best governor of the state of Michoacán:
Antonio Soto Sánchez, former federal senator and deputy, and a man of an impeccable trajectory.