TMW - 7-2-2012 at 10:28 AM
Peņa Nieto claims victory in Mexico's presidential election
Published July 02, 2012
EFE
Enrique Peņa Nieto claimed victory in Mexico's presidential election and vowed to work for reconciliation and national unity while crafting a "modern
and responsible" presidency.
The Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI, candidate said he would continue to fight organized crime, but with a new strategy that focuses on
reducing violence and safeguarding the lives of Mexicans.
"Let it be clear. There will be no pact or truce with organized crime," the 45-year-old Peņa Nieto said, referring to the wave of drug-related
violence that has claimed the lives of more than 50,000 people since late 2006.
Peņa Nieto, according to the preliminary vote tally released by the Federal Electoral Institute, or IFE, won 37.33 percent of the vote in Sunday's
general elections, with 78.47 percent of the ballots counted.
Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, candidate of the leftist Progressive Movement coalition, won 32.55 percent of the vote, while governing National Action
Party, or PAN, candidate Josefina Vazquez Mota got 25.37 percent of the vote.
Longshot Gabriel Quadri, of the New Alliance Party, or PANAL, won 2.37 percent of the vote.
Figures from the Preliminary Election Results Program, or PREP, will continue to be released over the course of the day, the IFE said.
Peņa Nieto thanked the millions of Mexicans who placed their trust in him and promised to take the presidency in a new direction.
Mexico will have "a modern presidency, responsible, open to criticism, and willing to listen and take everyone into account," Peņa Nieto said.
Sunday's election gives the PRI, which governed Mexico from 1929 to 2000, a second chance, Peņa Nieto said.
"The country wants work, cooperation and, above all and most importantly, results," Peņa Nieto said.
Mexico will be getting an administration that is "efficient, honest, transparent and accountable," Peņa Nieto said.
The politician and former Mexico state governor was accompanied by his wife, actress Angelica Rivera, on the stage.
"I invite everyone to leave behind our differences and tensions from the electoral contest," Peņa Nieto said.
President Felipe Calderon, of the PAN, congratulated Peņa Nieto on his victory and expressed his "absolute willingness" to help bring about an orderly
transition.
Calderon will leave office on Dec. 1.
Peņa Nieto, for his part, praised Calderon's "democratic vocation, his conduct and respect for the electoral process," as well as his willingness to
make tough decisions during his administration.
"I will meet with President Calderon to prepare a transition with a capable and experienced team to ensure that it will be orderly, transparent and
stable for the entire country," Peņa Nieto said.
The PRI lost the 2000 and 2006 presidential elections to the PAN.
Lopez Obrador, meanwhile, refused to concede, saying that the figures released by the IFE did not match the numbers gathered by his campaign.
"The last word has not been spoken," Lopez Obrador said. "It is important to have a recount of all the figures ... We are going to wait until we have
all the information."
Lopez Obrador, a former Mexico City mayor, lost the 2006 presidential election to Calderon by 0.56 percent and has never recognized the results.
Nearly 80 million people were eligible to vote in the general elections, with the presidency, 628 congressional seats and thousands of other posts up
for grabs.
A total of 141,153 polling places were open across the country.
Nearly 1 million people trained by the IFE handled the voting process, which was monitored by 2 million party representatives, more than 30,000
Mexican election observers and 696 foreign election observers. EFE
Read more: http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2012/07/02/pena-ni...
Hook - 7-2-2012 at 02:15 PM
".....said he would continue to fight organized crime, but with a new strategy that focuses on reducing violence and safeguarding the lives of
Mexicans."
Did he reveal what this "new strategy" would be, during the campaign?
Pescador - 7-2-2012 at 02:44 PM
Only in all of the pictures taken with him shaking hands with known drogistas. In his acceptance speech he repeated his fight statement, but it sure
will be fun to watch. All in all, probably still better than the Hopey Changey Thingy.
Bajafun777 - 7-2-2012 at 02:47 PM
The meeting behind closed doors with Cartel interests will be direct, in that all public violence and killings stops or be prepared for the old days
in more ways than you and your family members will ever want to come back. Now, behave yourselves like the old days or face the same terror you
generate for others. Terror verses terror usually brings common ground quickly, giving as good as you get. Well, hopefully something on those lines
will transpire to stop these killings but who really knows.
Kinda doubt that PRI will be all that interested in stopping drugs flowing into the USA with more open warfare in Mexico. Whatever the current
documented cost is of 60,000 dead, give or take a few thousand might not be a working model that PRI wants to continue with.
and Obama said .....
durrelllrobert - 7-2-2012 at 03:05 PM
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/ticket/obama-calls-mexico-presid...