Promises to the Electorate by Mexican Presidential Candidates

“El prometer no empobrece – El dar es lo que aniquila,” a Spanish proverb (To promise does not impoverish – To give is what annihilates.)

Mexico has its presidential election on July 1^st, less than a week away.  And there are four candidates.

These four candidates have been making promises – many promises.  Let’s take a look at some (by no means all) of them.

First, the four candidates are:

1.           ANDRES MANUEL LOPEZ OBRADOR (AMLO) is the candidate of the party he himself founded, MORENA (Movimiento Regeneración Nacional), in coalition with the Partido del Trabajo, Labor Party (PT) and PES (Partido Encuentro Social).  The official name of the coalition is Juntos Haremos Historia (Together We Will Make History).
2.           RICARDO ANAYA CORTES of the PAN (Partido Acción Nacional), in coalition with the leftist PRD (Partido de la Revolución Democrática) and the smaller Movimiento Ciudadano (Citizen Movement).  This coalition is called Por México al Frente (For Mexico to the Front).

III.          JOSE ANTONIO MEADE KURIBREÑA of the PRI (Partido Revolucionario Institucional), the party of current President Peña Nieto.  The PRI is in coalition with two smaller parties, the Green Party (Partido Verde Ecologista de México) and the Partido Nueva Alianza, the PNA or PANAL.  The official name of Meade’s coalition is Todos por México (Everybody for Mexico).

1. JAIME HELIODORO RODRIGUEZ CALDERON, better known as “El Bronco.”  Although formerly of the PRI, Bronco is now an independent.

AMLO promises:

• To bring about the Fourth Transformation of Mexico, without violence.  (By “fourth transformation,” AMLO means after one, Independence; two, The Reform; and three, The Revolution.)
• To End corruption.
• To establish the “kingdom of justice” upon the earth.
• To only earn half the presidential salary of current president Peña Nieto; to not have as president a fleet of planes and helicopters.
• In the southern state of Oaxaca, to finish turnpikes to the coast and the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, and to give teachers a pay raise
• AMLO says he won’t live in Los Pinos, he will sell the federal government’s planes and helicopters, and that high-ranking functionaries will have to get medical attention at ISSSTE, Seguro or Seguro Popular and not private medical care paid for by the government.
• The Soconusco region of Chiapas will be one of the most prosperous in Mexico.
• To have a government of “republican austerity,” which would include lowering the salaries of “those above to increase the salaries of those below.”  Better salaries would be given to teachers, nurses, doctors, police, soldiers, and government workers.  A “government without luxuries.”  He promises to sell the presidential plane, not to reside in Los Pinos – opening it to the public, to fight corruption, and to improve Mexico’s image abroad.
• A universal pension for the elderly. http://www.excelsior.com.mx/nacional/ya-lo-pasado-pasado-mejor-relajado-relajado-relajado-amlo/1237468
• To work closely with the private sector.  http://www.excelsior.com.mx/nacional/no-se-asusten-vamos-a-trabajar-con-la-iniciativa-privada-amlo/1237259
• To have 4% economic growth.  https://www.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx/noticia/1450636.promete-amlo-crecimiento-economico-del-4-anual.html
• To invite the Pope, and other religious and social leaders of the world and Mexico, to study and solve the problem of violence in Mexico.

ANAYA promises:

•  “Immediate” improvement in security.  “The security results will be immediate but…this will be a long-term effort.” http://www.excelsior.com.mx/nacional/promete-anaya-resultados-inmediatos-en-seguridad/1240704
• More jobs, better paid jobs.
• That the families of Nezahualcoyotl (a municipality in the state of Mexico, which is part of the Mexico City metropolitan area) will be safe and at peace.
• For the southern state of Oaxaca, Anaya promises tourism development, help for agriculture, completion of a federal highway, a turnpike and repairing another turnpike, and reducing its toll.
• To begin Universal Basic Income in the state of Oaxaca.
• To have peace and family security.
• Certification of all police and add more federal police.

MEADE promises:

• That Mexican teachers will be the best-paid in Latin America.
• Give a monthly stipend to women who head families.
• More daycare centers.
• High priority to the protection of reporters.

BRONCO promise:

• To support small and micro businesses.
•  To lower taxes and increase the minimum wage.
• To put in charge of immigration, someone who has been an illegal alien in the United States.

POLLING:

Arias Consultores (June 13-15): AMLO 62%, Anaya 19.8%, Meade 13.7%, Bronco 3.3%.
Oraculos (June 19): AMLO 50%, Anaya 27%, Meade 20%
Bloomberg Poll Tracker as of June 24: AMLO 50.8%, Anaya 24.8%, Meade 21.6%, Bronco 3.7%.

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by Allan Wall, an educator, resided in Mexico for many years.  His website is located at http://www.allanwall.info.