My leftist Mexican friends will be happy, though I think they'd characterize AMLO as simply the only possible progressive choice, not "far left."A new poll out this morning from Parametria shows that far-left presidential candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador [known to friend and foe by his initials "AMLO"] is surging ahead of Mexico’s July 1 election and has opened an 18-point lead, thanks in part to hatred for Trump south of the border. He formally kicked off his campaign yesterday with a rally in the border city of Ciudad Juárez, where he gave a strongly nationalistic speech and said Mexico under his leadership will demand more respect from the American president. “A Lopez Obrador victory could usher in a Mexican government less accommodating toward the United States,” Reuters notes. “Lopez Obrador has backed [NAFTA], but his plan to review newly issued oil contracts sparked worries he will deter foreign investment.” There are also concerns across Washington’s foreign policy firmament that he’d be less cooperative with us on national security matters, specifically drug interdiction.
Here's a nuanced discussion of just what the former Mayor of Mexico City (population 20 million) might stand for; he has a record of accomplishment.
The whole article is worth reading. Hard to believe that our racist kleptocrat could be helping anything positive, but his influence on the Mexican electorate could bear good fruit for poorer Mexicans.What could an AMLO presidency look like?
... When AMLO left office, he enjoyed an 84% approval rating. His welfare reforms were wildly popular, and he gave the city a major facelift while improving public transport and education.
... Without doubt, AMLO’s biggest achievement as mayor of Mexico City was to create the country’s first comprehensive, socially-funded retirement pension system. Before AMLO, Mexico had a mostly privatised system of income-related pensions with some government subsidies. This system was woefully inadequate. In 2000, only about 22% of Mexicans aged 65 and older had any kind of pension. Today, 88% of all Mexican seniors have a pension — largely thanks to AMLO.
... Under AMLO, streets were re-paved, new street lights installed and the city scrubbed clean. ... Tax breaks and other incentives were also used to encourage investment. Critics warned the influx of private development was gentrifying vast swathes of the city and pricing out locals.
... AMLO has pledged to make university education universally accessible while investing heavily in infrastructure. His record suggests he is dead serious.
... Finally, if AMLO has an Achilles heel, it is corruption. Despite vowing to crack down on corruption, AMLO’s record is spotty at best.
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