Political drama: Break PRI-Gordillo

Front page in all main Mexican newspapers: PRI president Pedro Joaquín Coldwell announced the PRI's electoral alliance with PANAL is over.

This is very dramatic political news: It has been known for a while that grassroots discontent in PRI surged given the extremely generous terms in favor of PANAL, the party controlled by teacher union head Elba Esther Gordillo, and the PVEM, the misnamed "Green party." As for the latter, there was much criticism of the blatant nepotism from Gordillo, who wanted both her daughter and son-in-law as candidates for the senate- as well as a disproportionate number of other senate and legislative seats.

Yet crucially, as far as I can see, this means that any alliance for a common candidate for presidential election - that Gordillo would back Peña Nieto - is also over.

Coldwell, who confirmed the alliance with the PVEM (for now?), said of Gordillo and PANAL: "It is not a rupture, it is an amicable separation." That is simply not true: This is a huge political rupture.

Just a few days ago, we also learned that PRI Chiapas Senator María Elena Orantes López renounced from the PRI, after weeks of wavering, wreaking havoc on the local as well as the national party organization.

I can't wait to learn more about the background for this. Did Gordillo get a better offer from PAN? Did she push it simply too far, and PRI realized her support just cost it too much?

But the good news is, from my point of view: The 2012 race just got a lot more competitive. A lot.

The moreirazo: New president of PRI is senator Coldwell

After a weary-looking Humberto Moreira stepped down as PRI leader yesterday, after only nine stormy months on the job,  the PRI's big shots simply "decided" that the new party president will be Pedro Joaquín Coldwell. He is a senator from Quintana Roo, where he was governor before being secretary of tourism 90-93 for Carlos Salinas.

Secretary general Cristina Díaz was sworn in as interim president, but it will be just that - Coldwell will replace her soon.

Ernesto Cordero, on his quixotic quest for the PAN nomination, notably wanted his part of the credit - "I was the first to accuse him!"

PAN and PRD are not content with his mere renunciation, given the Coahuila debt and likely fraud scandal. PAN warned PRI to not give Moreira a senate or deputy seat, which would grant him immunity for persecution.