Mexicans vote on fate of president

By Al Mayadeen Net
Source: Agencies
10 Apr 2022 17:33

Mexicans will head to the polls to determine whether their president stays or steps down in what critics are describing as a propaganda bid and supporters are saying bolsters democracy in the country.

Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador addresses the nation on his second anniversary as the President of Mexico, at the National Palace in Mexico City, Mexico (Reuters)

Mexicans will take to the polls on Sunday to decide the fate of their president, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, as part of a referendum conducted at his direction to see whether he should step down or finish his term.

The referendum constitutes a rare occurrence, as recall elections tend to be initiated by political opponents, but Lopez Obrador was behind it in Mexico, with the president and supporters of the referendum explaining that it was a way of increasing democratic accountability.

Critics saw the referendum as something to rave about, calling it an "expensive propaganda exercise" and an unnecessary distraction from the many problems the country is grappling with, such as drug-related violence, poverty, and the rising cost of living.

Opposition parties even went as far as calling for their supporters and Mexicans overall to boycott the democratic process, alleging that it was a "populist exercise", with experts saying alleging that the turnout was likely to be under the required 40% for the vote to be legally binding.

93 million voters are eligible to partake in the midterm elections incorporated into the constitution in 2019 at the president's initiative.

The popularity of the anti-corruption austerity advocate, however, is quite popular among Mexicans, prompting political analyst Martha Anaya to stress that his presidency was not at risk, arguing that it was quite the opposite: it could give impetus to his policy agenda, such as controversial energy reforms.

Critics have also alleged that the referendum was a tool for the president to try and stay in power past his mandated one six-year term, though he vowed to retire in 2024 after his term comes to a close.

A poll conducted in March showed that Lopez Obrador had an approval rating of 58%, and though it was lower than a poll conducted more than three years ago in February 2019, he still had the majority of voters on his side.

Voting is set to kick off at 1 pm GMT and stop ten hours later, with the results are expected to be announced late Sunday. All in all, 57,700 polling stations will open for Mexicans to cast their ballots.