Sunday, February 12, 2012

Is alleged PRI-narco connection fair game in Mexico's 2012 presidential election?

Enrique Peña Nieto accuses PAN of running a smear campaign "to discredit PRI," especially in the United States

National Action Party (PAN) chairman Gustavo Madero says all's fair in war and politics, and he's already warned Tricolor loyalists that PAN will not spare the rod this political season, especially after the formal campaign officially opens Mar. 30.

I wrote about this subject last October, when public allegations surfaced that as far back as 30 years ago, in the 1980s, big-time PRI politicians knew all about the northbound routes which Mexican drug traffickers were using - and did absolutely nothing.

PRI was the only political game in town for 70 years, until it lost the 2000 presidential election to Vicente Fox. It lost again in 2006 to PAN's Felipe Calderón. PRI has all of its hopes this year pinned on Enrique Peña Nieto, who will top the party ticket when voters go to the polls on July 1.

Meanwhile, Peña Nieto alleges that somebody in the United States (hmmm . . . I'm here in Mérida, so it can't be me he's talking about) is ultimately behind all of these nasty rumors. Here's what he has to say on that topic, for those of you who can punch your way through the Spanish text. This hot potato issue, which will only get hotter in the weeks ahead, has its origins in a spicy interview which Mexican president Felipe Calderón gave to the New York Times last September. Calderón didn't hide his feelings in the least, suggesting that if Peña Nieto is elected he'll crawl into bed with the narcos. Just after that interview, all hell broke loose.

Memo to Enique Peña Nieto: Mexico is waiting: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.mx/2012/03/memo-to-enique-pena-nieto-mexico-is.html.
Back to the "good old days" in Mexico: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/back-to-good-old-days-in-mexico.html.
No deals with narcos, says Josefina: http://mexicogulfreporter-supplement.blogspot.com/2011/11/no-deals-with-criminals-says-pan.html.
PRI linked to possible election intimidation in Michoacán state: http://mexicogulfreporter.blogspot.com/2011/11/mexicos-attorney-general-will.html.

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