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MEXICO CITY, Mexico -- Mexico's old rulers claimed victory in a presidential election on Sunday, ending 12 years in opposition after a campaign dominated by a sputtering economy and rampant drug violence.
After pledging to restore order and ramp up economic growth, Enrique Pena Nieto of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) had a clear lead over his rivals in exit polls and a "quick count" conducted by electoral authorities.
Although his main rival said it was too early to concede defeat, the 45-year-old Pena Nieto delivered a late-night victory speech to cheering supporters, and a senior electoral official said the PRI candidate's lead was "irreversible."
"Mexicans have given our party another chance. We are going to honor it with results," a visibly moved Pena Nieto told followers packed inside the PRI headquarters in Mexico City.
Tomas Bravo / Reuters
Enrique Pena Nieto claps alongside his wife Angelica Rivera after exit polls showed him in first place in Mexico City on Sunday.
Dramatic comeback
Jubilant supporters waved banners sporting caricatures of their candidate and his trademark quiff, and confetti in the red, green and white of the Mexican flag -- and the PRI's colors -- rained down inside the hall.
Outgoing President Felipe Calderon congratulated Pena Nieto on his triumph, which completed a dramatic comeback for the PRI.
With returns in from more two-thirds of polling booths, Pena Nieto had 37 percent of the vote, more than four percentage points clear of leftist rival Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador. His lead was slowly widening as the night drew on.
Mexico's new president: A heart-throb, a leftist or country's first female leader?
Outgoing President Felipe Calderon congratulated Pena Nieto on his triumph, which completed a dramatic comeback for the PRI.
With returns in from more two-thirds of polling booths, Pena Nieto had 37 percent of the vote, more than four percentage points clear of leftist rival Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.
Ronaldo Schemidt / AFP - Getty Images
Leftist candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador did not concede defeat on Sunday.
Only about 700 gathered at Lopez Obrador's campaign rally, he said he would wait for the official results before conceding defeat and canceled plans to proceed to the Zocalo, the main square he filled as recently as Wednesday.
"We have information that indicates something different from what they're saying officially," he said. "We're not going to act in an irresponsible manner." (Link to statement in Spanish-language newspaper El Universal)
Lopez Obrador could choose to challenge the election, as he did six years ago when he narrowly lost to Calderon and launched months of protests against alleged fraud. After his 2006 loss, his supporters closed down Mexico City's main boulevard for a month and a half to try to force a recall. When that failed, he declared himself the country's president before thousands of supporters massed in the Zocalo, the capital's central plaza.
Initial projections by Milenio television suggested the PRI had not won enough votes for an absolute majority in either the Senate or the lower house of Congress.
And Pena Nieto's advantage was much less convincing than the PRI had hoped for, with most polls in the immediate run-up to the election showing he would win by 10 to 15 percentage points.
Josefina Vazquez Mota of the ruling National Action Party, or PAN, trailed with less than 26 percent of the vote in Sunday's election. It was a humiliating defeat for conservative Calderon's party, worn out after a dozen years in power.
Inspiring high hopes when it was elected in 2000, the party has failed to ignite stronger economic growth and Calderon has had no answer to the rampant violence of Mexico's drug war.
Johan Ordonez / AFP - Getty Images
Josefina Vazquez Mota, from the right-wing PAN, accepted her defeat on Sunday.
"Nothing has improved since the PAN got in," said Mexico City plumber Raimundo Salazar, 44. "The PRI understands how things work here. And it knows how to manage the drug gangs."
Pena Nieto's plans include raising tax revenues, a business-friendly overhaul of labor laws and steps to open the struggling state-owned oil giant Pemex to more private investment.
Coercion, corruption
The planned reforms were also pushed by the PAN under Calderon, only to be stalled by the PRI in Congress. Indeed, with its close ties to the oil workers' union, the PRI could prove a bigger obstacle to revamping Pemex than the PAN.
The PRI for 71 years ruled as a single party known for coercion and corruption, but also for building Mexico's institutions and social services. It was often accused of stealing elections, most infamously the 1988 presidential vote. But PRI governments were also known for keeping a lid on organized crime, whose battles with government and each other under Calderon have taken more than 50,000 lives and the traumatized the country.
Mexico's drug war: No sign of 'light at the end of the tunnel'
Repeating a popular belief of many Pena Nieto supporters, Martha Trejo, 37, of Tampico said, "He'll stabilize the cartels. He'll negotiate so they don't hurt innocents."
Travelers run for cover as federal officers are killed by cops suspected of drug trafficking. Msnbc.com's Dara Brown reports.
In his victory speech, Pena Nieto vowed that he wouldn't make pacts with organized crime. However, he said he would focus on curbing violence.
Mexican presidential candidate becomes poster boy for infidelity
He built his reputation as governor of the State of Mexico in 2005-2011, where he oversaw solid economic growth and brought down the state government's debt.
"He did a really good job ... building lots of hospitals, roads and schools," said Lino Posadas, 30, a parking attendant from the town of San Jose del Rincon in the state.
But to many critics, though, Pena Nieto is a product created by Mexico's main television companies to serve as a proxy for the country's biggest businesses and the ruling elites in the PRI.
"He's been imposed on us by powerful interests like the TV stations and old presidents," said Javier Aguilar, a 62-year-old biochemist. "How can it be that a country this miserable is home to the world's richest man?" he said, referring to tycoon Carlos Slim.
Msnbc.com staff, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Leave a Comment:
President? If he does anything to bother the drug running cartels he will be killed...
Mexican Law.
Two peoples are screwed when it comes to mexican politics. One- the Mexicans. two- the americans. Lets add a third. The border states in America who can't do a thing about illegals because of an idiot for a president. Both sides' president. The reason drug cartells do so well is because of the market they ship to. America. They have no qualms about shooting theirs and ours. Why don't we do the same?
And now there will be a rush of the drug king pins and the new top politicians to meet to make a deal but one not favorable for the American people. The drug lords will ease up on their power struggles amongst themselves and in return the government will on their part cease to take active military measures against them. The appearance of a peaceful society will return but the drug running will actually increase unabated and unoposed. The billions of dollars in cash will continue to flow to the benefit of everyone involved in the new drug running agreements.
MSNBC's editors blew it in the middle of this article. They repeat 2 paragraphs.
Well won't say if I think this is bad or good, but I will say under this kind of president and the old ways, I would not go to Mexico for any thing.
Mexico's old rulers are the cause of the problems today. They are the most corrupt people on the earth. The people just took a 100 steps backwards.
I want to agree with you but, the US Congress and Political office holders are the most corrupt on earth. Mex. is maybe in the top 10 worst.
I'm glad our politicians in the US can't be bought.
Mwahahahahahahahahahaha!!!!! oops, I peed a little.
And this just in! The drug cartels are back in Business stronger than ever!
You're an idiot. The only reason the drug cartel exist is because of the drug war. If you regulated drugs like alcohol drug cartels would be out of business. I hate you.
" The PRI knows how to manage the drug gangs" ??? WTF does that mean...look the other way?
There are two things I need from this:
1. Concerted effort to destroy Drug Cartels and corrupt Mexican officials that are bribed to turn the other cheek.
2. Dorito's Loco's tacos transformed into a soft shell version!
obama didn't send his leftist to vote. How did he let this one get by? Come on November!
It would be so wonderful if they can turn Mexico around into the beautiful place it used to be.
If we're not going to close the borders and continue to deal with all of their issues, we may as well just annex the place as the 51st state.
why not?
I prey to my God that this new President will Honor his roll as President, and help restore order.
I'm so sick and tired, knowing that Mexico is third World country.
Maybe this will change, as long as Money (la mordida) is eliminated and that money will not be a issue.
Walk up Mexico you must stop the World making fun of you, and get rid of all the garbage that control's you now!!
Let's make Mexico a safe place to visit and for the people of this Beautiful Country.
I thought Mexico was an independent nation, since when corporations are people made down to the South? Now, I'm really pissed off, I just don't know why I didn't get the memo? The news about the elections brought many instances of vote buying and guess who was doing the buying? Yes, the PRI. Of course and to be honest, they've been doing for so long that the only way to have a "democratic" Mexico is to buy, a la Americana, the stupid voters.
I wonder when the waterboarding is heading South, although and to be fair, I think decapitation is much better and less painful. Let's hear it for democracy! Hip, hip, hooray!
Congrats, now get your dog crap illegals outta my country.
" What you talkin bout, Willis?, who you calling illegals? Your mother, your children, your ancestors? If that is what you meant, I'm with you, but if you are reffering to the Mexicans, then you are dead wrong. They were here before even your racist, "christian" pilgrims came to America. BTW, have you heard anybody referring to native Americans as illegals? I haven't. I have heard you people calling them savages, barbaric and other non-sensical stupid names, lazy, etc, but not illegals, ergo, if Mexicans were here as well and just as many centuries, eons, why the Mexicans are illegals and your genocidal ancestors not. They killed, massacred them, stole their lands and you call them, Mexicans, illegals? BTW, did you graduate from high school? I have my doubts. Such stupidity can't be present in someone with some real knowledge of history.
Oh NO ! Back to the same old tired stuff of yore...
El Presidente looks like Marie Osmond had a kid by Johnny Knoxville...
"Change they can believe in" Good luck with that, beaners.
It's like Capone telling the Gambinos everything is going to be okay now !
So many opinions..... so little facts. So let me give you all a couple of FACTS. 1)There is no guarantee when electing a President; either here in the USA or in Mexico. We vote for the Candidate that we believe will do the best job possible for our respective Countries. Then we hope and pray that will be the case. 2)Once a President is elected, EVERYONE should support him for the sake of the said country because "a house (country) divided against itself can not stand." Jesus taught it. Lincoln repeated it. Yet, here we go again! Come on people, (despite the country) we don't have to stay STUCK ON STUPID. I for one am tired of all the "in fighting" among Americans. All this "sabotage" and negative energy does not help US progress. Everything we do will not "work like a charm" but still we must try and tweak and yes fail at different things in order to grow. It seems that some people would rather see the country paralyzed and suffering than support someone they did not vote for. Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face! This is the exact problem in the US Congress. One side sabotaging and neutralizing the other until not only is there NO progress but we are actually loosing ground. When this happens, we all loose. God Bless America & Mexico too. One World, people;One World!
Things are only gonna get worse until:
The Invasion of America via The Wide Open Mexican Border is halted.
God Bless America and screw Mexico !
Well, we sure got a lemon. Elect a better one next time.
Marilyn-1412197---bite me and suck it...you are a moron...
Wow, you put a lot of thought into that one, Raven Maniac. Now get off post and go take your meds' ...... and swallow this time.
I guess time to sell, Taco Bell's stock is going to drop.
America is in the same situation, if Obama retains his office, we will go backwards too, just as we have been doing. Im not a big fan of Romeny but at this point I would vote for Ron Paul so anyone gets in but Obama. Hillary Clinton would be better than Obama and that's not saying much.
Obama is turning American democracy into socialism. We will be a socialistic country if Obama returns to office.
Get out and vote and dont vote for party or race, vote for the future of America.
The DEA is a criminal organization. The drug war is a crime against humanity.
There will be no slack up in the killings since it is about control of the drug routes. The godfather of Nieto is Chupa Cabra Gotari Salinas. Remember his brother was in prison for drug dealing and money laundering. Mexican women elected Nieto because of his looks and the fact his wife, "La Gavoiota" is a famous soap opera star. He himself is a criminal from a long line of criminals. Within a year Mexicans will wake up a realize what a terrible mistake they made putting this person in office. Under the Mexican consitution no person can be jailed if they are holding public office. To the fool about the Pilgrims. They left England due to what they called religious persecution. Financially they were all fine in England. Just more rewrite of history but a nitwit.