In Mexico City, protests by supporters of presidential
candidate Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador are far from over. In
southern Chiapas state, the PAN and PRI parties refuse to
recognize the recent gubernatorial election victory of
Lopez Obrador's endorsed candidate. On Mexico's northern
border, however, political parties and actors are already
setting their sights on local and state elections in 2007.
Indeed, entirely new political parties are emerging in some
locales.
In Baja California, two new parties are marshaling their
forces for 2007 races. The Social Encounter Party (PES) is
the first new party that's requested registration from the
Baja California State Electoral Council (CEE). Luis Moreno,
an ex-deputy from Lopez Obrador's PRD party, is identified
as one of the leaders of the new party. The Democratic
Inclusive Front (Fidel) is the second new political force
that's solicited state registration. Fidel's principal
promoter is an unnamed leader of a non-governmental
organization dedicated to the legalization of illegal
vehicles in Baja California.
According to CEE official Raul Flores Adame, the two new
parties will be granted the necessary status to receive
public campaign financing and compete in elections if they
meet the legal prerequisites of Baja California's electoral
law. Flores said two other new nationally-organized parties
that won federal registration due to their showings in the
July 2 elections, Roberto Campa's National Alliance Party
and Patricia Mercado's Alternative Social Democrat and
Campesino Party, are also seeking registration in Baja
California. If approved for registration, the four parties
will join 7 previously-registered parties in the border
state. Existing, officially-recognized parties include the
PAN, PRI, PRD, PT, PVEM, Convergencia, and Baja California
Party organizations.
In Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Felipe Calderon's PAN party is
preparing to choose its mayoral candidate for the 2007 city
election. Jorge Ramirez Rubio, president of Nuevo Laredo's
PAN branch, said three possible candidates for mayor are
under consideration. Besides Everardo Quiroz Torres, a
Tamaulipas state legislator, the possible candidates
include two customs agents: Francisco Gonzalez Quezada and
Hugo Galindo Leal. According to Ramirez, the next mayor of
Nuevo Laredo will administer a city that employs more than
2,500 municipal workers and boasts an annual budget of
about $140 million dollars.
Sounding very optimistic about his party's 2007 prospects,
Ramirez said he is "completely sure" the PAN will win Nuevo
Laredo's mayoral election. Ramirez said the main battle
will be against the former ruling PRI party, adding that
the current municipal administration of the border city of
Reynosa is a "living example" of what the PAN can deliver
at the local level. Ramirez contended that the deepening
conflict over the results of the July 2 presidential
election should not have big repercussions in next year's
local election. "This is another movie..," Ramirez
said. "There will be another movie next year that has
nothing to do with the one that showed."
Nuevo Laredo's next mayor will take the reigns of power an
from a city administration that's presided over
unprecedented bouts of narco-violence, generalized public
insecurity and declining cross-border tourism. Everardo
Quiroz, one of the possible PAN mayoral candidates
mentioned by Ramirez, said public insecurity and economic
development should be the top priorities of the next PAN
candidate.
"Nuevo Laredo should be a pole of development that
generates thousands of jobs for all, and it should be a
national example as well," Quiroz said. "I believe that the
priority is to improve the quality of life through
education, sports, culture, jobs, and public security."
Sources: Frontera, August 29, 2006. Enlineadirecta.info,
August 28, 2006. Articles by Angel A. Guerra Salazar and
Blanca Leticia Guerra Guerrero.
Frontera NorteSur (FNS): on-line, U.S.-Mexico border news
Center for Latin American and Border Studies
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, New MexicoTaco de Baja - 9-1-2006 at 08:03 AM
"The Democratic Inclusive Front (Fidel) is the second new political force that's solicited state registration. Fidel's principal promoter is an
unnamed leader of a non-governmental organization dedicated to the legalization of illegal vehicles in Baja California. "
What exactly is an 'illegal vehicle' in Baja?
And has anyone actually received a ticket or fine for having one?
I was hoping someone would dig that out.
Baja Bernie - 9-1-2006 at 08:07 AM
Perhaps, Baja Fever has afflicted the entire party.elgatoloco - 9-1-2006 at 08:13 AM
I can tell you that last month on our retrun from the south as we drove thru TJ we actually saw a vehicle that had a sign on the side having to do
with 'verificacion de vehiculos legal' ? They had someone pulled over and one guy had a clipboard and was looking at the vehicle owners papers. I
think the local government has identified a possible revenue stream. Al G - 9-1-2006 at 08:30 AM
Could it be a way to get all the stolen gringo cars legal.
I am sure there is alot of them.Oso - 9-1-2006 at 08:45 AM
They're called "chocolates".villadelfin - 9-1-2006 at 09:30 AM
Quote:
They're called "chocolates".
Anyone know why stolen cars are called chocolates?
I don't know either. just curious. I've heard people called "fresas" but cars and chocolates is new to me.Don Alley - 9-1-2006 at 10:39 AM
OK, I have had this explained to me but don't remember all that I did understand. But here's a wild stab:
"Illegal" cars may have been stolen at one point in time. But most were not. Some were "imported" into the country without paying the fees and doing
all the paperwork. Legally purchased in the USA then just driven down. You really think Mexicans returning from the US with a car would go through all
the importing rigamarole? And some cars just, well, don't have any official paperwork.
The Mexican federal govt would like to see all vehicles properly licensed, with the proper title and registration papers. These licensed vehicles
would be good to go anywhere in Mexico.
Anyway, bottom lime is the govt wants lots on folks to pay lots of money to continue driving their cars. But drivers are resisting; after all, their
cars work just fine without a fancy new license plate. These drivers are supported by a powerful political lobby that has, with some success, kept the
govt regulators at bay. That's the lobby mentioned inthe news release.
Now I'm not sure of this, but I think the "Front" or frontier plates are not good for mainland travel. They are a temporary "political compromise"
plates.
Pretty darn interesting politics, if you ask me. Some of the radical Montana Militia types up here would be green with envy.
Don Alley
Baja Bernie - 9-1-2006 at 04:06 PM
Pretty darn close!
The government has been trying to get these 'illegal' cars registered for at least 10 years that I know of. That is why so darn many Mexicans only
drive their trucks on dirt (secondary roads) and they often pool a vehicle with proper plates to visit cities like Rosarito and Ensenada--also TJ
Very close to a shell game. And somewhere recently someone said that most folks were now paying taxes in Baja.
For many that is like going out to lunch with the devil.
Sometime look into why there are so many Taxi's in Mexico. Most interesting and just another way to get around taxes.
