LEFTIST ‘AMLO’ WINS MEXICAN PRESIDENCY
Lopez Obrador won 53pc of votes
ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador swept to victory in Mexico’s presidential election on Sunday, in a political sea change driven by voters’ anger over endemic corruption and brutal violence.
The sharp-tongued, silverhaired politician known as “AMLO” won 53 per cent of the vote, according to an official projection of the results.
It is the first time in Mexico’s modern history that a candidate has won more than half the vote in a competitive election — a resounding rejection of the two parties that have governed the country for nearly a century.
“This is a historic day and it will be a memorable night,” Lopez Obrador said in a victory speech in Alameda park here, as thousands of supporters flooded the capital’s central district chanting “Yes, we did” and partying to mariachi music.
Lopez Obrador, 64, sought to downplay fears of radicalism, after critics branded him a “tropical Messiah” who would install Venezuela-style policies that could wreck Latin America’s second-largest economy.
“Our new national project seeks an authentic democracy.
“We are not looking to construct a dictatorship, either open or hidden,” he told supporters, promising to safeguard freedoms, respect the private sector and work to reconcile a divided nation.
He vowed to pursue a relationship of “friendship and cooperation” with the United States, Mexico’s key trading partner — a change in tone from some comments during the campaign, when he said he would put US President Donald Trump “in his place.”
Trump, whose anti-trade, antiimmigration policies have infuriated Mexico, appeared ready to start off on the right foot.
“I look forward to working with him,” he tweeted.
“There is much to be done that will benefit both the US and Mexico.”
Canada’s Justin Trudeau echoed the congratulations while emphasising his country’s work with Mexico to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement trade pact — an effort that has stalled over attempts to satisfy Trump’s demands.
“Canada and Mexico are close friends and longtime partners,” Trudeau said in a statement.
“We share common goals, strong people to people ties, and a mutually beneficial trading relationship that is the envy of the world — reflected in our joint effort to update the North American Free Trade Agreement for the 21st century.”
Lopez Obrador successfully tapped voters’ anger over a seemingly never-ending series of corruption scandals and horrific violence that left a record 25,000 murders last year — an orgy of bloodshed fuelled by the country’s powerful drug cartels.
His coalition, led by the Morena party he launched in 2014, appeared to be on track for a strong showing in state and congressional races as well, winning six of the day’s nine governor’s races, according to exit polls.
Lopez Obrador’s coalition will have a majority in the lower house and possibly in the Senate, according to the firm’s exit polls — a coup for a party contesting its first national elections.
Runner-up Ricardo Anaya of the conservative National Action Party and third-place candidate Jose Antonio Meade of the ruling Institutional Revolutionary Party both congratulated Lopez Obrador and wished him success.