Firebombs and Accusations Fly in ‘Ruthless’ Election Campaigns in Mexico ...
It is election time in Mexico again, with voters going to the polls on Sunday for municipal and regional elections, including the governorships in 12 of Mexico’s 32 states.
While some might quibble with Ms. Luna’s technique, few would argue against her appeal to clean up Mexico’s electoral politics. Mexican political campaigns have never been for the faint of heart, and this year has been no different, with rough-and-tumble contests that have made a certain presidential contest north of the border look almost quaint in comparison.
The official campaign period in Mexico, which by law lasted only two months and ended on Wednesday, was marked by “a dirty war,” to use the favored term of the Mexican news media and political class. Candidates all over the country have hurled accusations of corruption at one another, including charges of graft and financing by drug traffickers. In the governor’s race in Veracruz, one candidate even accused his main competitor of being a pedophile.
Some contests also featured violence and intimidation, including the firebombing of a party leader’s office in Veracruz. Dozens of local and regional candidates withdrew from races, reportedly because of threats from drug traffickers.
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