Mexico's ruling party loses grip on capital, Congress
July 7, 1997
Web posted at: 11:53 a.m. EDT (1553 GMT)MEXICO CITY (CNN) -- A maverick leftist claimed victory in Mexico City's mayoral race Monday, and the country's ruling party appeared to have lost its 68-year grip on the lower house of Congress, in elections widely seen as a victory for democracy.
"The electoral process of July 6 perhaps represents a new era in the history of Mexico," Nobel prize winner Octavio Paz wrote in a front page editorial in the Mexico City daily Reforma.
Cuauhtemoc Cardenas, a two-time presidential loser, former PRI senator and son of one of Mexico's most beloved presidents, defeated ruling party candidate Alfredo del Mazo by a landslide 2-1 margin, preliminary results showed.
The job was up for election for the first time in seven decades of rule by the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). Previously, the post was appointed by the president.
The PRI ruled Mexico for 68 years. But political scandals and the lingering effects of 1994's crippling economic crisis, in which Mexico's peso was devalued, weakened the party.
47.7% 25.5% 16% with nearly 80 percent of the vote counted The PRI also appeared likely to lose its longtime hold on the lower house of Congress, winning only about 38 percent of the vote in preliminary returns. A party needs 42 percent of the vote to win the majority in Congress, where 300 of the 500 seats are directly elected, and the rest allotted by proportional representation.
The left-center Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), which Cardenas founded after breaking with the PRI in 1987, and the center-right National Action Party (PAN) each won about a quarter of the federal congressional vote. Five other parties split the rest.
38.2% 27.3% 25.2% with 80 percent of the vote counted The PRI also lost at least two of six governor's races.
"That's democracy," PRI party leader Humberto Roque Villanueva shrugged as he assessed the damage.
Mexican President Ernesto Zedillo congratulated Cardenas on his victory.
"Mexico is on an irreversible, definitive, historical path to democratic equality," said Zedillo, whose administration ushered in electoral reforms aimed at strengthening democracy. "I am confident that ... all Mexicans can say with pride and with unity that democracy has been institutionalized in our country,"
Few irregularities in elections
Mexico's electoral tradition is plagued by a legacy of corruption and electoral fraud. But Sunday's ballot proceeded in an orderly fashion, indicating the non-partisan Federal Electoral Institute made good on its promise of a transparent and legal election.
A small army of international and Mexican election observers watched over voters, who cast their choices in tamper-proof ballot boxes, then were daubed with indelible ink to prevent them from voting again. The institute's extensive computer network guarded against the possibility of electronic fraud.
However, there were scattered reports of irregularities during the vote. Civic Alliance said its 12,000 volunteers found a few cases of vote-buying.
And in the southern state of Chiapas, suspected supporters of the Zapatista rebels burned election materials at several voting stations and ransacked two others to protest the vote. The rebels announced last week they would boycott the balloting.
Cardenas supporters cheer victory
Mexico City's great central square, the Zocalo, was the scene of jubilation as thousands of PRD supporters reveled in Cardenas' victory, waving banners and shooting off fireworks. The famously glum-faced Cardenas smiled jubilantly before his cheering supporters, and immediately set his sights three years ahead to Mexico's next presidential race.
"We have won the city. Let's get set for the year 2000!" he said. The outcome puts Cardenas on the center stage of Mexican politics.
As Cardenas takes the capital's mayoral seat, the PRI will have to learn the art of political compromise, and to share power.
The shattering reality for the PRI is the beginning of the end of its 68-year hegemony. But for the majority of the Mexican people, the first steps onto the path of true democracy have been resolutely taken.
Correspondent Chris Kline, The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
- Newsmaker Profile: Cuauhtemoc Cardenas
- Message Board: Mexico elections
- Newsmaker Profile: Ernesto Zedillo
Special Section:
- Mexico Elections '97 in English
- Elecciones Mexicanas '97 En Español
Related stories:
- Mexico awaits verdict in historic election - July 6, 1997
- Mexican voters cast ballots in critical election - July 6, 1997
- Mexico at a crossroads with Sunday's crucial elections - July 5, 1997
- Mexican elections seen as barometer of discontent - July 4, 1997
- Mexico City mayoral wannabes plug themselves one more time - July 2, 1997
- At final rally, PRI doesn't have much to celebrate - June 29, 1997
Related sites:
Sound off on our message boards
Tell us what you think!
You said it...
© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.